Hudson Bergen Light Rail Transit

Jersey City’s planned redevelopment and growth along the Hackensack River focuses on improved transit service to the area and increased connectivity within the city. A westward extension to the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail (HBLR) toward NJ Route 440 was identified as a top County transportation priority. NJ Transit programmed $22M of the Fiscal Year 2017 Capital Program’s supplemental funds, plus $6M in federal discretionary funds to advance the engineering of the HBLR Route 440 Extension project.

As part of the larger effort, SJH provided structural engineering services to draft ROW structures, track alignments, and profile drawings. Work at the West Side Ave. Station included extending the existing platform by 1’-6” on both sides. As a result, the existing canopy would not cover the platform as originally designed when the extension is complete. SJH worked on the West Side Avenue Station Canopy Modification Study report, which presents an existing canopy evaluation and conceptual modification options for the canopy and related structural supports. The report includes the options for the canopy modification to meet clearance requirements, connection schematics, modification requirements for the related structural supports and conceptual level cost estimates. Two options were considered, retrofitting and replacement. Based on the condition of the existing canopy structure, SJH recommended the less expensive retrofitting option, with MPT during construction carefully designed in connection with platform widening to allow the retrofitting work on the platform while maintaining station operation and passenger safety.