Northern Branch Corridor Project

v t e Northern Branch Corridor Project
Legend
CSX Northern Branch Englewood Hospital Englewood Town Center Englewood Route 4 Leonia Palisades Park Ridgefield CSX River Subdivision New York, Susquehanna & Western Railway NYS&W Edgewater Branch 91st Street 85th Street Viaduct 69th Street ( proposed PBHT station ) CSX North Bergen Yard Conrail Northern Branch and New York, Susquehanna & Western Tonnelle Avenue Hudson–Bergen Light Rail

The Northern Branch Corridor Project is a proposed extension of the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail (HBLR) from its northern terminus into eastern Bergen County, New Jersey, initially proposed in 2001. If built, the new service would use the right-of-way of the Northern Branch on which the Erie Lackawanna Railroad ran passenger service until October 3, 1966,^[1][2] and is currently a lightly used, stub-ended freight rail line owned by CSX Transportation. The Northern Branch Corridor is at the foot of the west side of the Hudson Palisades in the Hackensack River valley, running for much of its length parallel to Overpeck Creek. After mixed reactions and extensive community input to a draft environmental impact statement (EIS), it was decided in 2013 to terminate the line at the Englewood Hospital and Medical Center.^[3] In March 2017 the Supplementary Draft Environmental Impact Statement was approved by the Federal Transit Administration allowing for a period of public reaction.^[4] A separately-conceived and funded bridge at 69th Street in North Bergen, necessary for operation of the system, has been completed. In 2017 NJ Transit estimated that the line would open in 2029.^[5] In 2023 the FTA rescinded its intent to proceed with an EIS due to the 'all encompassing' changes in conditions since 2007.^[6]