“Tenafly officials, residents vow to fight light-rail plan

Tuesday, January 24, 2012.

By Karen Rouse.

TENAFLY, New Jersey — Residents and officials on Tuesday blasted a plan to extend the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail through the community, saying it would bring pollution, accidents and noisy train horns. NJ Transit is considering a plan to extend its electric trolley system 12 miles from North Bergen through Ridgefield, Palisades Park, Leonia, Englewood and Tenafly. The added mass transit is needed, officials say, to alleviate congestion, boost economic opportunities for communities along the corridor, and provide a new transit option, particularly for people who do not have vehicles.

Projections show that bringing light rail to  Tenafly would draw close to 12,000 passengers. If the line ends in Englewood, it would draw close to 10,000. Mayor Peter Rustin spoke Tuesday at the Tenafly rail station, now a cafe, before the first of two hearings held by NJ Transit on the project. Rustin, flanked by more than two dozen citizens, half of them holding “STOP the LIGHT RAIL in TENAFLY”signs. Rustin said any attempts by NJ Transit to restore light rail service in the borough ”will be met by the stiffest resistance possible.”

Rustin described NJ Transit as a powerful state agency that has overlooked and ignored concerns by Tenafly that the project would tear $8 million in commercial property - which generate $200,000 thousand in  revenue - out of the town in order to make room for the rail system, parking and two stations.

“The project has been designed with total disregard for the concerns of the residences and businesses in Tenafly,” Rustin said. Police Chief Michael Bruno told NJ Transit officials at the afternoon hearing that he was “deeply troubled” by what he described as the agency’s unfulfilled promises to “be in contact” about plans to extend the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail system 12 miles north into  Tenafly. Now, he said, he understands what the term, “We’re being railroaded means.”

A total of about 520 people attended the afternoon and evening sessions at the Clinton Inn. The overwhelming majority were from Tenafly – and opposed to light rail within the city. NJ Transit officials were there only to receive comment from the public, not engage in debate.

One speaker questioned what would happen when light rail riders needed to use a restroom and there were none on the vehicles. Another said borough police would be overwhelmed with light rail-related traffic accidents.A Closter man who voiced support for the project was heckled to the point that police had to intervene and quiet two audience members. Some members of the public chose to leave written comments only or talk privately with a NJ Transit stenographer.

Tenafly Council members Martha Kerge and Nadia LaMastra warned that the town would take legal action if NJ Transit sought to bring rail to Tenafly.”

Via: The Record

Photo: Carmine Galasso/The Record