Bus rapid transit in New Jersey
| Company type | Public transportation |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transport |
| Founded | 2008 |
| Founder | NJ Transit |
| Headquarters | Newark, New Jersey , United States |
Area served | New Jersey |
| Products | Bus rapid transit services |
| Owner | New Jersey Transit |
| Website | https://www.njtransit.com/bus-rapid-transit |
Bus rapid transit (BRT) services in New Jersey feature limited-stop routes, exclusive bus lanes (XBL), and bus bypass shoulders (BBS). As part of the Next Generation Bus[1] program, NJ Transit (NJT), the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT), and regional metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) are collaborating to expand BRT networks throughout the state.
In 2011, NJT revealed intentions to install real-time tracking devices across its full bus fleet to enable "next bus" arrival updates at transit shelters. This BRT growth in New Jersey reflects a broader international movement toward affordable, adaptable public transit options that serve as alternatives to rail systems, aiming to decrease reliance on private vehicles and alleviate road congestion.
Greater Newark go bus
NJ Transit introduced its inaugural BRT corridor, go bus 25, in September 2008.[2][3] This route provides limited-stop service during peak periods at eleven designated locations between Newark Penn Station and the Irvington Bus Terminal, primarily along Springfield Avenue.[4] Plans are underway to deploy emission-free battery electric buses on this line by 2026.[5]
The go bus 28 operates around the clock connecting Newark Liberty International Airport’s North Area Transit Center, terminals, downtown Newark, Branch Brook Park, the Roseville district, and Bloomfield, New Jersey. It facilitates transfers to the Montclair-Boonton Line and Newark Light Rail. There are proposals to extend this route westward toward Montclair University.[6]
| go25 peak service Archived March 14, 2012, at the Wayback Machine | via | |
| Newark Penn Station | Four Corners Essex County Courthouse Springfield Avenue |
Irvington Bus Terminal |
Route 9 Bus Bypass Shoulder (BBS)
Route 9 ranks among New Jersey's most heavily trafficked bus corridors, with the introduction of compressed natural gas (CNG) powered buses beginning in 2015.
Along Route 9, bus bypass shoulders (BBS) facilitate express bus services within Monmouth and Middlesex counties. New Jersey Transit operates routes 63, 64, 67 providing connections to Hudson County, while routes 130, 132, 136, 139 travel to the Port Authority Bus Terminal (PABT). Additionally, Academy Bus offers service to Lower Manhattan.
In 2006, the New Jersey Department of Transportation upgraded two segments of shoulder lanes and enhanced traffic signals and pedestrian walkways to accommodate exclusive bus use during peak hours. The first BBS segment spans approximately from just south of Sayreville in Old Bridge and is part of a larger planned corridor extending through Monmouth and northern Ocean counties.
The corridor's southern endpoint is proposed at Lakewood, which, alongside neighboring Toms River, saw substantial population increases between 2000 and 2010. As of 2011, a $588 million project aimed at expanding a portion within these municipalities was in the design stage, with construction funding anticipated for 2016-2017. Parallel to this, studies are evaluating rail transit possibilities under the MOM project, considering routes connecting to either the Northeast Corridor Line or the North Jersey Coast Line.
A detailed study conducted by consulting firm Stantec in 2010 provided recommendations for the design and rollout of the BBS extension. The second phase would commence near the Lakewood Bus Terminal at Route 88; the final phase is intended to bridge the northern and southern sections through Freehold Township and adjacent communities, involving roadway expansions to support bus operations.
In 2022, NJ Transit obtained federal grants to examine how transit-oriented development (TOD) could enhance a comprehensive Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) network along a 21-mile corridor stretching from Old Bridge Park and Ride to Aldrich Park and Ride in Howell Township. By 2025, this route includes approximately 80 bus stops. Old Bridge Township is exploring an application for TOD transit village status along Route 9 to further strengthen transit infrastructure and foster community growth.
Secaucus to Meadowlands Transitway
In 2021, NJ Transit initiated studies exploring alternative Bus Rapid Transit options between Secaucus Junction and the Meadowlands Sports Complex, designed to complement the existing Meadowlands Rail Line. This initiative includes planning a dedicated bus transitway intended for operation during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The original plan envisioned utilizing both eastern and western spurs of the New Jersey Turnpike, incorporating bus-only connector ramps near New Jersey Route 7. Subsequent phases propose constructing a busway partly following the former Boonton Line corridor, now designated as the Essex–Hudson Greenway state park.
On October 10, 2024, NJ Transit approved moving forward with construction of this transitway. Much of the required roadway and intersection improvements for phase one have already been completed. Plans for a new bus terminal adjacent to MetLife Stadium at Route 120 were later abandoned. The transitway alignment will utilize County Road, Seaview Drive, Meadowlands Parkway, and cross the Hackensack River via bridges on NJ Route 3.
Princeton Transitway
The Princeton Transitway is planned to utilize the existing right-of-way of the Princeton Branch, a stretch just under , currently served by the Dinky shuttle connecting Princeton Junction station and Princeton Station located on the Princeton University campus. This initiative envisions a green corridor incorporating pedestrian and bicycle lanes alongside a dedicated bus lane.
Greater New Brunswick BRT
In 2008, NJ Transit collaborated with the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA) to investigate Bus Rapid Transit alternatives within the Greater New Brunswick region. The suggested route extends along Livingston Avenue and Route 27, linking Metuchen station and North Brunswick while traversing Downtown New Brunswick at New Brunswick station. Existing local bus services numbered 800–880 are slated for enhancement through incremental BRT deployment.
South Jersey BRT
The South Jersey BRT forms part of a broader regional multimodal expansion aimed at improving connectivity between Camden and Gloucester counties, Downtown Camden, and Philadelphia across the Delaware River. This project includes upgrades to the PATCO Speedline, Atlantic City Line, and the development of an 18-mile light rail extension—the Glassboro–Camden Line—which will link to the River LINE. NJ Transit buses serving this area fall within routes 400–499.
Key corridors for the BRT encompass heavily trafficked routes such as I-676, Route 42, and Route 55. The southern endpoint is planned as a new park-and-ride facility in Deptford along Route 55, complemented by an expanded lot in Winslow. During peak hours, buses are expected to operate at intervals of 10 to 15 minutes. Routes will converge in downtown Camden with transfer options at the Walter Rand Transportation Center, before crossing the Benjamin Franklin Bridge via reversible lanes to a stop near Philadelphia City Hall. In July 2012, NJ Transit obtained $2.6 million in federal funds to progress this initiative.
Bayonne–Journal Square BRT
Since the introduction of the Hudson Bergen Light Rail (HBLR) in 2000 and the rise of jitney (dollar van) services, travel patterns in Hudson County have shifted notably, leading to a decline in traditional bus usage. Research has determined that Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems are well-suited for select densely populated urban zones within northeastern New Jersey.
The Bayonne / Greenville / Journal Square Bus Rapid Transit Study, funded by NJTPA and the Hudson County Board of Chosen Freeholders and carried out by Parsons Brinckerhoff, recommends implementing BRT on city streets without exclusive bus lanes—similar to Newark's go bus or New York's Select Bus Service. The study emphasizes strategic kiosk placement with scheduling capabilities, vehicle type selection, branding strategies, and corridor assessment along Broadway, Avenue C, Garfield Avenue, and Ocean Avenue. It also includes connections to the Staten Island-bound S89 bus at the HBLR 34th Street Station. Preliminary findings from 2013 highlight Kennedy Boulevard, a major county route, as the preferred corridor potentially combined with Bergen Avenue and MLK Drive.
In anticipation of rising activity levels at Port Jersey and ongoing development in Jersey City's West Side and Bayfront neighborhoods, studies are evaluating transforming routes 440 and 1/9 into a multi-functional urban boulevard featuring grade separations and medians designed to support an effective BRT corridor. The proposed alignment would run from Droyer's Point to Journal Square via Sip Avenue.
Union County go bus expressway
The Union County go bus initiative is envisioned as a component of the Liberty Corridor Bus Rapid Transit system, which centers on Newark Liberty International Airport. The primary transit hub would utilize the dormant former Central Railroad of New Jersey (CNJ) station located in Elizabeth, positioned next to NJ Transit’s Elizabeth station that serves the Northeast Corridor Line and North Jersey Coast Line. The project proposes reconstructing and integrating these stations into a unified Midtown Station, establishing the area as a prominent transit-oriented development (TOD) hub.
The northern alignment is planned to link Midtown Station with Newark Airport’s terminals, parking zones, and freight facilities, partly tracing the route of the previously abandoned Union County Light Rail corridor. An additional branch would provide service to Jersey Gardens, a significant regional shopping destination.
To the southwest, the corridor would make use of an unused CNJ mainline right-of-way connecting Midtown Station to the Aldene Connection, where it merges with the existing Raritan Valley Line. This plan also includes creating an adjacent greenway featuring pedestrian and bicycle trails. The busway would facilitate transfers at Cranford Station and Garwood Station, with Garwood serving as the terminus. Overall, this go bus expressway would run roughly parallel to New Jersey Route 28.
Bergen BRT
Despite some rail infrastructure, Bergen and Passaic counties predominantly depend on bus transportation. Expansion efforts such as the Northern Branch Corridor Project have encountered delays. The Passaic–Bergen–Hudson Transit Project seeks to enhance east-west transit connections through light rail DMUs or bus services.
Research efforts concentrate on establishing an extensive bus network, particularly Bus Rapid Transit corridors along the heavily trafficked commercial stretch of NJ Route 17, linking the Meadowlands Sports Complex to the New York border between NJT's Main/Bergen and Pascack Valley rail lines. The Hackensack–Paramus corridor, hosting key activity centers including malls, educational institutions, medical centers, and government offices near Routes 4 and 17—one of the busiest intersections worldwide—has been a central focus. Both Bergen and Passaic counties are transitioning toward transit-oriented development that supports BRT.
In the 2006 Route 17 Bergen Rapid Transit Study, STV Group proposed two BRT routes beginning or ending at Secaucus Junction, a vital NJT rail transfer point. The Blue Route was designed as an express service from northern Bergen via Interstate 80 and the New Jersey Turnpike; the Orange Route was intended to serve southern Bergen through Paramus. This plan was contingent on the now-defunct Access to the Region's Core (ARC) project.
Parsons Brinkerhoff’s 2010 Vision Bergen report outlined main and feeder BRT lines, recommending initiating the Blue Route as a pilot with an estimated cost of $45 million.
By October 2011, NJ Transit indicated that funding was unavailable but intended to conduct a study outlining steps should financing become accessible. In November 2011, Bergen County partnered with NJT to fund a $600,000 Bus Rapid Transit Implementation Study aimed at identifying viable BRT corridors and improving bus-rail integration in response to evolving travel behaviors where nearly 60% of commuter trips occur within county boundaries.
In June 2014, five preferred routes were unveiled: two originating from Port Authority Bus Terminal—one traveling via the Hudson waterfront to Garden State Plaza in Paramus, another following Route 17 to Montvale Park & Ride; two departing from Secaucus Junction—one to Bergen Community College via Route 17 and another to Englewood Hospital utilizing local roads and the Turnpike; plus a fifth route connecting Paterson's Broadway Bus Terminal with George Washington Bridge Bus Station along Route 4. By November 2014, three candidate routes were selected for detailed analysis:
| Route | Route | Route |
|---|---|---|
Secaucus Junction
Montvale Park and Ride |
Secaucus Junction | Broadway Bus Terminal (Paterson)
|
A September 2017 analysis identified four preferred BRT corridors—labeled A, B, C, and D—for subsequent implementation planning.
External links
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