34th Street station (Hudson–Bergen Light Rail)

34th Street station is a station on the Hudson–Bergen Light Rail (HBLR) in Bayonne, New Jersey. The third of four stations in the city of Bayonne, 34th Street is located at the intersection of Avenue E and East 34th Street, the station doubles as a park and ride with access to Route 440 southbound.

34th Street
34th Street station as seen from the East 32nd Street overpass
General information
LocationAvenue E at East 34th Street
Bayonne, New Jersey
Coordinates40°40′19″N 74°06′29″W / 40.672°N 74.108°W / 40.672; -74.108
Owned byNew Jersey Transit
Platforms1 island platform
Tracks2
ConnectionsBus transport NYCT Bus: S89
Construction
Structure typeBelow-grade
Parking417 spaces, 9 accessible spaces[1]
Bicycle facilitiesYes
AccessibleYes
Other information
Fare zone1
History
OpenedApril 15, 2000 (April 15, 2000)[2]
Services
Preceding station NJ Transit Following station
22nd Street
toward 8th Street
8th Street–Hoboken 45th Street
toward Hoboken
Bayonne Flyer
Former services
Preceding station Conrail Following station
East 22nd Street
toward Cranford
Cranford–Bayonne Shuttle Terminus
Preceding station Central Railroad of New Jersey Following station
East 22nd Street
toward Somerville
Somerville – Jersey City
Local
East 33rd Street
East 45th Street
East 22nd Street Suburban service
to Elizabethport
Location
Map

History

edit

Jersey Central station

edit

34th Street station was built just north of a former Central Railroad of New Jersey station, located at Avenue E and East 33rd Street. This station was known as East 33rd Street and, before that, it was known as Bayonne. The station opened on August 1, 1864 as part of a railroad connection between what would become Communipaw Terminal and the Bergen Point neighborhood. This was before the bridge across Newark Bay had been built which connected the railroad to the main line at Elizabethport.[3] The depot was built on the westbound platform at the time and a new eastbound station was completed in 1901.[4] The westbound depot was razed in 1962.[4] East 33rd Street's eastbound depot became the main ticket agency, which was removed on April 30, 1967 as part of the Aldene Plan, which moved passenger service to the Lehigh Valley Railroad into Newark Penn Station. Passenger service through Bayonne and Jersey City was truncated to East 33rd Street as part of the Aldene Plan.[5][6] The station depot was razed in 1969.[4] Passenger service at East 33rd Street ended on August 6, 1978 when Conrail ended the shuttle between Cranford and East 33rd Street.[7]

HBLR station

edit

The modern station opened on April 15, 2000 as the terminus of the original minimum operating segment (MOS) of the Hudson–Bergen Light Rail.[2]

Station layout

edit

The station has two tracks and a single island platform, along with an overhead pedestrian bridge to the parking lot on Route 440. 34th Street station is accessible for handicapped people as part of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. As a result, there are elevators for the pedestrian bridge, along with grade-level train access on the platforms. The station serves local service between 8th Street station in Bayonne and Hoboken Terminal, along with the Bayonne Flyer, an express service between Bayonne and Hoboken.

Connections

edit
 
New York City Transit bus #6323 pulls into 34th Street on the S89 line

Since September 2007, the S89 bus route of the Metropolitan Transit Authority of the New York City metro area provides a link from 34th Street station to Staten Island. A 397-space park and ride lot has also been built at the station.[8]

In 2005, eight PCC streetcars from the Newark City Subway were given to the Bayonne to be rehabilitated and operated along a proposed 2.5-mile (4.0 km) loop to connect the station to MOTBY, the former naval base being redeveloped as cruise port, residential and recreation area. As of 2015, plans call for a pedestrian bridge over Route 440 connecting the station to the new developments.[9] In 2017, the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority allocated funds for the study of bridge plans for which the City of Bayonne has $4 million to build.[10]

References

edit
  1. ^ "34th Street Station (Bayonne)". NJ Transit. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  2. ^ a b Canal, Alberto (April 16, 2000). "Leaders Cheer Light Rail Opening as Hudson Steps Into 21st Century". The Jersey Journal. Jersey City, New Jersey. pp. A1, A8. Retrieved March 14, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  3. ^ Papers Read Before the Historical Society of Hudson County. Jersey City, New Jersey: Historical Society of Hudson County. 1908. pp. 18–19. Retrieved October 31, 2019.
  4. ^ a b c Bernhart, Benjamin L. (2004). Historic Journeys By Rail: Central Railroad of New Jersey Stations, Structures & Marine Equipment. Outer Station Project. pp. 42–43. ISBN 1-891402-07-2.
  5. ^ "18 Stations on Railroad Cutback List". The Asbury Park Press. March 1, 1967. pp. 1, 6. Retrieved October 31, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.  
  6. ^ "Shore Commuters Gripe About Standing". The Daily Home News. New Brunswick, New Jersey. May 1, 1967. p. 13. Retrieved October 31, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.  
  7. ^ "DOT Gives Farewell Toots to Underused 'Bayonne Scoots'". The Home News. New Brunswick, New Jersey. August 7, 1978. p. 13. Retrieved October 31, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.  
  8. ^ "S89 Bus Timetable" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. February 4, 2018.
  9. ^ Lin, Jonathan (October 19, 2015). "What's planned for Bayonne's MOT? City officials, developers give an overview". The Jersey Journal.
  10. ^ Zeitlinger, Ron (27 January 2017). "What one city is doing to avoid repeat of roadway tragedy". The Jersey Journal.
edit

  Media related to 34th Street (HBLR station) at Wikimedia Commons