While the Bergen-Passaic line unsurprisingly has the support of Paterson-based Congressman Bill Pascrell, a member of the House Transportation Committee, it has also earned the scorn of two Bergen County legislators. Freeholders Douglas Bern and Dennis McNerney criticized the Bergen-Passaic line just days after the press conference, arguing that the West Shore or Northern Branch would better serve the far eastern part of Bergen County currently lacking commuter rail. McNerney called the line "ill-advised" and said it was "ludicrous" to expect a strong commuter demand between Paterson and Hackensack or Hoboken. Thus far, Bergen County Executive William Schuber has remained non-committal, refusing to support one route over another.

The Bergen-Passaic line did not fare as well in a study of the three projects prepared for NJTransit. A route that did not then include an extension from Maywood to Paterson was projected to draw only 4,500 riders, while the Northern Branch to Tenafly would serve 11,350 and over 15,000 would ride the West Shore Line between Hoboken and West Nyack, with a likely transfer to the Northeast Corridor and other lines at the Secaucus Transfer. Although the Bergen Record recently reported that the extended Cross-County could transport up to 18,000 passengers, it is unclear how this much larger number was estimated