When NJ Transit decided to sink billions into the mass transportation infrastructure in Hudson County and continue with the construction of the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail, as well as assisting NY Waterway build a new ferry terminal in Weehawken, it was supposed to alleviate problems for commuters getting to and from work. Sure enough, the Light Rail has been a major boon to Weehawken residents. So has the upgrade of the ferry terminal. Commuting in and out of Manhattan has never been easier.

However, there is still a major obstacle facing Weehawken commuters - namely pedestrian access to the waterfront where the Light Rail station and ferry terminal are located.

The stairway that was supposed to link upper Weehawken off Pershing Road to the mass transportation along Port Imperial Boulevard below the Palisades is still not completed.

A treacherous walk

If someone living in upper Weehawken wants to travel on foot to catch the Light Rail or a ferry, they have to schlep their way down the steep and dangerous incline of Pershing Road or walk along Boulevard East to the long existing stairway and travel that route.

Some residents wondered why the stairway hasn't been completed nearly a year after the Light Rail station and the new ferry terminal have been opened.

"It's really an inconvenience for those who don't drive," said Edward Barnable, who has been walking down Pershing Road, then along the treacherous path of Port Imperial Boulevard to get to the train and ferry. "The work started on the stairway and then just stopped. It's been that way for about eight months now. I don't know why that happened. Nothing is being done. It's like a stairway to nowhere."

"When the Light Rail was built, we were led to believe that we could have easy access to it on foot," said Lisa Aultschuller. "We were very happy to watch the stairway being built, but then the construction just stopped. We're not any closer to getting access down there on foot."

A complicated project

According to Weehawken Mayor Richard Turner, the stairway was part of the development package with Roseland Properties, Inc. when the second phase of the Port Imperial South commercial and residential development was approved. Roseland is picking up the cost of building the stairway, linking upper and lower Weehawken.

"The construction of the stairwell is still not completed," Turner said. "Whenever people see something being built on the cliffs, there are inquiries as to when it will be completed. But it takes a long time to get something like this into place. We required Roseland to build the stairs and the pedestrian bridge to the Light Rail was built by NJ Transit. They're simply not done yet."

Turner said that there is no timeline as to when the project will be completed.

"Everything has to be in place," Turner said. "It's an extremely complicated project, especially when you're dealing with the Palisades."

Turner said that the area surrounding the entrance to the stairs on Pershing Road has to be secured first by building a sidewalk on that side of the street.

"We can't have people crossing in the middle of Pershing Road to get to the stairs," Turner said. "That would be too dangerous with the traffic coming up and down. The sidewalk still has to be built. The whole project is still under construction. Without that access, it won't be open. It's going to take several months."

Shuttle service available

In the meantime, NJ Transit is supposed to be offering shuttle service for commuters from upper Weehawken to the waterfront, with regular stops on Boulevard East and 48th Street and another on Pershing Road and Boulevard East.

"Maybe the shuttle schedule has not been posted, but we asked NJ Transit to make those shuttle stops to bring people to the Light Rail and the ferry," Turner said.

Turner said that he will contact NJ Transit to make sure that the shuttle schedule is posted so that commuters know the pickup times at the two upper Weehawken locations.

As for pedestrian traffic down Pershing Road, Turner doesn't believe that there is a problem with safety. "It's not a safety issue at all," Turner said. "It's very safe there if someone wanted to walk. It's just a very long walk. Up on the hill, near the top of the stairs, where there's a blind curve, that's not safe. But not at the foot of Pershing Road. A lot of people travel to the waterfront on foot and they don't mind walking down Pershing Road. It just takes some time."

The completion of the stairway and the footbridge to the Light Rail station will take some additional time. Commuters are asked to be patient and deal with the slight inconvenience for a little while longer.

Jim Hague can be reached via e-mail at either OGSMAR@aol.com or jhague@hudsonreporter.com