NJ Transit receives grant to study Newark Light Rail modernization

NJ Transit was awarded a $519,750 grant by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to conduct a modernization study for Newark Light Rail.

The grant, announced July 12, will examine options for improving station design and customer experiences as well as making four stations accessible to people with disabilities.

The four stations are the only within the Newark Light Rail system that are not accessible to people with disabilities.

The study was among 40 projects across 32 states selected to share in the $16.2 million in federal money to help reassess, redesign and improve transportation services in marginalized communities across the country.

“Reliable and accessible public transportation is a lifeline for underserved communities in New Jersey,” said New Jersey Department of Transportation and NJ Transit Board Chair Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti. “These federal funds will help ensure that Newark Light Rail customers have optimal access to public transportation.”

The grant, which is provided through the FTA’s Areas of Persistent Poverty program, will assist NJ Transit in its ongoing effort to engage and expand inclusion for customers with disabilities. The study will look to make Military Park, Warren Street/NJIT, Norfolk Street, and Park Avenue stations accessible to people with disabilities while identifying other customer experience improvements.

“NJ Transit will now leverage these funds as a first step in implementing a series of accessibility, service, and customer experience improvements on our vital Newark Light Rail system, which the many residents of our state’s largest city rely on as their primary travel option,” said NJ Transit President and CEO Kevin Corbett. “As NJ Transit continues to aggressively pursue federal grant opportunities, we are pleased to once again be the recipient of a critically important FTA grant.”