the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Englewood NJ, after 25 years of promises and planning, commuters and local leaders are once again facing disappointment as the long-awaited Hudson-Bergen Light Rail extension to Englewood has been delayed—this time due to bureaucratic holdups over a federally mandated environmental study.
The critical Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), which the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) required in August 2023, won’t begin until mid-2026, NJ Transit officials announced, when they expect to hire a consultant for the study. The delay is yet another setback in a project that has already undergone three previous studies since the light rail began operating in 2000.
🚧 What’s Causing the Delay?
NJ Transit spokesman John Chartier cited a mismatch between the original consultant contract and the expanded scope of work required by the FTA.
“It became clear that the scope of work was larger than what the current contract would allow,” Chartier said. “We’re refining that scope now in preparation for a new advertisement later in 2025.”
Once begun, NJ Transit estimates the updated EIS will take two years to complete—pushing the project start date even further into the future. The FTA requires the study to include updated data on floodplains, stormwater management, air quality, hazardous materials, cultural resources, traffic, and parking.
💬 Local Leaders: Frustrated and Outraged
State Assemblywoman Shama Haider (D-Bergen) expressed deep frustration with the timeline.
“I’m very frustrated. It should have taken a few months,” Haider said. “It’s important for the county and the region and the economy to move people to where they want to go.”
U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-5) was more blunt, calling the FTA’s requirement for a new study “a middle finger to New Jersey.”
“Despite all the dollars I fought to secure through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, red tape and bureaucracy are holding it up,” he said. “It should be full speed ahead, not more delays.”
About the Extension Project
The proposed nine-mile extension would cost an estimated $2 billion (2020 dollars) and add five new stations, connecting North Bergen to Englewood Hospital and Medical Center. Towns that would benefit include:
Fairview
Ridgefield
Palisades Park
Leonia
Englewood
It would run along the former Erie Railroad Northern Branch freight line, providing critical access to PATH trains, NJ Transit lines, and NY Waterway ferries in Hoboken and Weehawken.
🕰️ A 25-Year Wait — And Counting
The Hudson-Bergen Light Rail began service in 2000, initially serving Jersey City, Hoboken, and Weehawken, before extending south into Bayonne. But despite the project’s name, Bergen County—the second half of the title—still lacks service.
In 2007, an initial EIS was completed and later updated in 2018, but pushback from Tenafly forced a shift in the plan. Since then, delays have continued to mount, frustrating officials who view the extension as critical infrastructure.
📣 Calls for Action
Bergen County Executive James J. Tedesco III has pledged to keep pressure on NJ Transit.
“The County Executive continues to advocate strongly for this critical mass transit project,” said spokesperson Derek Sands. “We look forward to working with NJ Transit, the Legislature, and the Governor to get this project back on track.”
Haider echoed that urgency:
“All I want is serious movement on the light rail extension,” she said. “This can’t wait another five or ten years.”
🧭 Why It Matters
Expanding the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail into Bergen County would:
Ease congestion along Route 4, Route 46, and local roads
Improve connectivity to NYC and major employment hubs
Boost property values and local economic development
Provide an eco-friendly transportation option for thousands of residents
With NJ Transit aiming for a 2026 start to the environmental study—and another two years to complete it—actual construction remains a distant goal unless state and federal pressure accelerates the process.
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Indeed. Bergen County could have had its station years ago, but the kind, inclusive, progressive liberals of Tenafly were having no part of a Light Rail station and now it’s basically DOA.
Thousands of cars off the road, and immeasurable benefits to commuters and the environment, but no sale for Tenafly.
So strange.
I’m sure it was a traffic concern.
Tedesco is on it. Looking at another 25+ years, minimum.
Jim, FIX THE ROADS.