Branch Brook Park station
| Company type | Light rail station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | 2001 |
| Headquarters | Newark, New Jersey , United States |
Area served | Newark Light Rail system |
| Products | Light rail and bus transit services |
| Owner | NJ Transit |
Branch Brook Park station is a light rail stop situated in the Forest Hill area of Newark, New Jersey. It operates on the Newark Light Rail system managed by NJ Transit and represents the westernmost point within Newark's boundaries. Traveling westward, the subsequent stop is Silver Lake located in Belleville, while to the south lies Davenport Avenue. Branch Brook Park serves as a multimodal transfer center featuring two light rail platforms—comprising one side platform and one island platform—in addition to a separate platform designated for bus connections.
This station occupies the former site of the original Newark City Subway streetcar loop, once known as Franklin Avenue. The facility underwent redevelopment in 2001 when NJ Transit merged the Franklin Avenue and nearby Heller Parkway stations into a single, continuous complex named Branch Brook Park, taking its name from the adjacent park.
Heller Parkway
Heller Parkway station commenced service on May 26, 1935, initially acting as the northern endpoint of the Newark City Subway until the extension to North Sixth Street opened in 1940. It remained operational until June 21, 2002. Access to the Heller Parkway bridge is provided by an extended ramp linking the bridge to the southern extremity of one of its platforms.
Franklin Avenue
Constructed originally in 1940 under the name North Sixth Street station, it was shifted closer to Anthony Street and renamed Franklin Avenue in 1953. Following New Jersey Transit's upgrade from PCC cars to contemporary Kinki Sharyo light rail vehicles, Franklin Avenue station was closed on August 25, 2001. It was succeeded by a longer ramp leading into the present-day station.