HLPs for Anderson Street, New Bridge Landing & Bradley Beach, Studies for Orange & Chatham

NJ Transit gets $34M to make 5 train stations more accessible. Here’s what that buys.

The $1.7 billion federal program, created in July, is designed to make hundreds of old subway and commuter rail stations accessible to people with mobility issues — from those in wheelchairs to parents with kids in strollers.

For NJ Transit, that means building high level platforms at some stations that will allow passengers in wheelchairs to roll onto trains. With them, people won’t have to climb stairs to get on and off rail cars.

Grants included $18.18 million for two Pascack Valley Line stations at Anderson Street, Hackensack and New Bridge Landing in River Edge. The Bradley Beach Rail Station – on the North Jersey Coast Line - received a $14.51 million grant. And the Chatham and Orange Rail Stations on the Morris & Essex Line were awarded $1.4 million.

Grants for the Anderson Street and New Bridge Landing stations will be the first phase of modernizing the Pascack Valley Line (PVL) with fully accessible stations, said Jim Smith, an NJ Transit spokesman.

Well, based on the costs I keep thinking these are mini-high level platforms, but the descriptions read like Bradley Beach, Anderson Street and New Bridge Landing/North Hackensack are getting full highs, which I certainly would prefer. Glad to see NJ Transit are working on getting the PVL up to snuff. The Erie didn't leave them much room to work with at a lot of stations.

Indeed you can tell that the 1.4 million is for minis while the 18 and 14 million ones are for full highs.

The NJCL is effectively double the cost because it has two side platforms while the PVL stations are singles.

You would think Belmar would be on the list for a high level platform. They get some sizeable crowds, particularly in the Summers and the first Sunday in March

Yes, I am surprised Belmar is not on there. Even from a logistical standpoint, there is a huge gap in handicap accessibility between Asbury and Point Pleasant. You would think that if they were going to fill the gap, they wouldn't fill it with the next station after Asbury.

If those crowds are mostly younger folks who don't need high platforms, it's not that relevant. I presume the sites picked were based on a combination of rider requests, ridership, and how friendly the municipality is to getting this project done (which would presumably require their approvals).

Chatham and Orange Stations are only getting planning work, not actual construction (as described by the FTA's summary) as they are on curves that prohibit HLPs without mechanical extensions. That's why those stations are sharing a $1.4M grant while the others have substantially larger budgets.

Good to see the PVL is actually prioritized for something!

Now if only the schedules can follow suit, especially to close the gap of no Hoboken-bound trains from 4pm to almost 10pm on weeknights.

RandallW wrote: ↑Fri Dec 23, 2022 6:47 am Chatham and Orange Stations are only getting planning work, not actual construction (as described by the FTA's summary) as they are on curves that prohibit HLPs without mechanical extensions. That's why those stations are sharing a $1.4M grant while the others have substantially larger budgets.

I figured "Studies for Orange & Chatham" made that clear. Apparently not so much.

Could be that station platforms like Bradley Beach are relatively short, and cheaper to build to a high level. Bradley is one street block long, while Belmar and Spring Lake are two street blocks long or longer. A little at a time, maybe?

GSC wrote: ↑Sat Dec 24, 2022 3:07 pm Could be that station platforms like Bradley Beach are relatively short, and cheaper to build to a high level. Bradley is one street block long, while Belmar and Spring Lake are two street blocks long or longer. A little at a time, maybe?

Bradley Beach, Anderson Street and New Bridge Landing/North Hackensack have something in common: no overhangs. Belmar has the depot on the platform. Easier to get new platforms installed quick. (Spring Lake has room too, but still).

Unfortunately, they should've taken care of Anderson Street when they built the new shelter replacing the 1869 depot.