At the opening ceremonies at the new Liberty State Park transit station, transit fans, urban development specialists, an orchestra and citizens cheered loudly and carried on almost giddily as big-fish politicians, quoting everyone from Shakespeare to Jackie Gleason, touted the new train line. It now runs from 34th St. in Bayonne to the Exchange Place PATH station. Officials passed out commemorative passes like proud new parents. They also recalled just how difficult the labor was.

Never ones to miss an opportunity, Union County officials turned out wearing lapel buttons that proclaimed, "Congratulations Hudson Bergen, Union County's Next!!!" referring to the cross-county service on an old Central NJ line they hope to push to the head of NJ Transit's list of possible new projects.

Several elected leaders also acknowledged the light rail project as the brainchild of citizens and rail advocates who persevered throughout the decade and more of the planning, routing and funding process. These included Doug Bowen (NJARP), Sue Mack, Susan O'Kane, Phyllis Elston and the Tri-State Campaign's own Bill Sullivan.

On the rails, NJTransit expected between 7,000 and 8,000 riders on the first Monday, April 17th. Transit workers reported a "light turn-out," though during rush hour all seats were full. NJTransit director Jeffrey Warsh told the Record that ridership was safely in "the thousands." Actual ridership figures will not be released until May. Except for lines at the new ticket vending machines, most riders interviewed by reporters seemed impressed. NJ Transit believes lines will end as more riders begin purchasing monthly passes.

Ensuring speedier construction of the rest of the planned segments of the Hudson-Bergen line seems essential to building ridership. Building significant state funding for these phases into NJ's Transportation Trust Fund (see next article) could accelerate the process. But a contract with the FTA for full funding of phase 2 is still needed to extend the rail line north to the Hoboken Terminal, with its important connections to ferry lines, NJ Transit commuter trains and the Midtown PATH line, within two years. Unfunded phase 3 would bring the line north to the Lombardi park-n-ride off the NJ Turnpike in Ridgefield by 2010, and south to 5th St. in Bayonne. Ultimately, the line could run over the Bayonne bridge into Staten Island (see next article).

Last week, Bergen County's chief planner, Chester Mattson, argued before the NJ Assembly Light Rail Legislative Panel that economic growth and traffic projections show Bergen residents cannot wait until 2010 for another rail connection. The County is seeking funding to begin building the line itself from Ridgefield south to the Weehawken Tunnel.