Union County Light Rail
| Company type | Proposed transit project |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Fate | Removed from NJ Transit Capital Improvement Program in 2006 |
| Headquarters | Elizabeth, New Jersey , United States |
Area served | Union County, New Jersey |
| Products | Light rail transit service (proposed) |
| Parent | NJ Transit (project planned under) |
The Union County Light Rail was an envisioned light rail transit line designed to connect Newark Airport with midtown Elizabeth, New Jersey.
Project overview and current status
This light rail initiative was intended to serve as the third "minimum operating segment" (MOS-3) within the broader framework of the Newark-Elizabeth Rail Link (NERL).
The initial segment of the NERL, known as the Broad Street Line, opened in July 2006 and connects Broad Street Station to Penn Station in Newark. The subsequent phase aimed to establish a connection between Newark Penn Station and Newark Airport.
Plans for the Union County Light Rail included eight or nine stops throughout Elizabeth, a station at Newark Airport, and potential future expansions into neighboring municipalities. The route, spanning roughly , was to utilize former Conrail tracks—originally part of the main line of the Central Railroad of New Jersey—currently under ownership of the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT), running east-west across Elizabeth. Additional proposals by local advocates suggested extending service westward toward Cranford or further along the Raritan Valley Line.
In 2006, NJ Transit eliminated the Union County Light Rail from its Capital Improvement Program, effectively discontinuing development of the project.
List of proposed stations
- AirTrain Newark at parking lot P2
- North Avenue
- Kapkowski Road
- Jersey Gardens
- Ferry Terminal (providing ferry access to New York City)
- Singer Station (potential)
- Third Street/Elizabethport
- Division Street
- Spring Street (U.S. Route 1/9)
- Midtown Station – offering transfers to the Northeast Corridor Line
Stations proposed for extension
- Elmora
- Lorraine
- Roselle
- Cranford Station
The first three locations correspond to former CNJ station sites.
Union go bus expressway
The Union go bus expressway is a planned bus rapid transit corridor connecting Garwood and Newark Airport through Midtown Elizabeth, incorporating segments of the originally proposed light rail route.
References
- Johnson, Gary. Union County, NJ: Elizabeth-to-Newark Airport light rail project under way. August 8, 2005.