NJ Transit Seeking Ideas For Transporting American Dream Shoppers

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – NJ Transit is looking for ideas on a faster, efficient and environmentally friendly way to help transport some of the 40 million customers that American Dream expects to draw.

The agency announced an “Innovation Challenge” this week to find ways to solve transportation issues surrounding the Meadowlands megamall, asking "innovators, experts and problem solvers" to come up with a way to "seamlessly and continuously" transport 20,000 people between American Dream and Secaucus Junction

A formal launch event for the competition is scheduled for Nov. 7 at MetLife stadium. Those interested in the challenge can register in advance here.

American Dream's owner, Triple Five, projects 110,000 people will visit the $5 billion retail and amusement complex daily. Between 30 and 40 million people are expected to visit within its first year of opening. There's also an estimated 17,000 employees the mall who need to find their way to work.

Kevin Corbett, NJ Transit CEO and President, told NJ.com they are looking “at how to provide more robust service on top of our regular service” and how to “move more people in a faster way that’s more environmentally friendly.”

Corbett also told the paper the challenge is a way for the agency to explore “the possibility of a public-private partnership” to move 20,000 people per hour, which is double the maximum capacity on rail.

The Wall Street Journal reported that NJ Transit is “willing to explore all options,” such as a monorail, aerial gondolas or a magnetically levitated train to handle the seven mile trip between American Dream and Secaucus Junction. The agency also hopes to work with private equity and construction firms to fund the majority of the project in exchange for regular payments once the system is running, the newspaper reported.

With some of the country's most congested highways located in the Meadowlands, mall officials have been working to create options that'll get visitors out of their cars and on to mass transit.

The mall will have a ride-share hub and 30,000 parking spots, however it is not yet known if there will be a charge to park in the spaces.

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Leading up to the Oct. 25 grand opening, American Dream announced new service offerings from NJ Transit and NY Waterway to get people to the mall from New York City and the surrounding area.

For the mall's opening, NJ Transit will debut daily express service from Port Authority Bus Terminal to the new mall that will run every 30 minutes. A second bus, No. 356, will run daily from Secaucus Junction to American Dream every half hour.

To help provide transportation options for workers at the mega-mall, NJ Transit will also expand operating hours on three routes

Though there's a shuttle train from Secaucus Junction to MetLife Stadium, it is currently scheduled to run only for Giants and Jets home games or other major events.

NJ.com recently reported that regular rail service between the two points is on hold until NJ Transit "has enough crews and equipment to run those trains without affecting regular commuter service." The agency is hoping buses will help alleviate traffic on local roads and highways, the newspaper reported.

The mall's grand opening is scheduled for Oct. 25. However, shopping, dining and attractions at the $5 billion complex will open in four phases.

During the initial opening, Nickelodeon Universe Theme Park and The Rink will be open. The DreamWorks Water Park is set to open Nov. 27, followed by Big SNOW, the country's only indoor real-snow park, on Dec. 5. By March 2020, the mall's 350 retail stores will be open for business.

American Dream's more than 100 dining destinations – which include three food halls, a food court and nearly two dozen full-serve restaurants – will also open next spring, the developer said. Additionally, SEA LIFE Aquarium, LEGOLAND Discovery Center, CMX Luxury Movie Theater, Kidzania and the mall's Observation Wheel will be open by March.