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NORTH BERGEN, N.J. -- There were frayed nerves and an expensive clean-up at a luxury apartment building in North Bergen on Tuesday.

It appears heavy rain triggered a large rockslide.

Work crews lifted sections of wall that could not withstand Tuesday morning's rockslide.

Chopper 2 was over the area at the rear of the Dutchess Luxury Tower on River Road, where the rain-soaked cliff gave way. It rolled down with enough force to obliterate fences and pelt cars with rocks, mud and debris.

Eighth-floor tenant Joshua Hay said he noticed something wrong late Monday night, with a few rocks littering the parking lot. There was a much larger slide after 2 a.m. on Tuesday.

"All of a sudden, the building starts shaking," Hay said.

With his cellphone camera, he recorded video of damage to the inside of the parking garage and inside the building.

"A lot of the rocks splintered in the form of a fragmentation," Hay said. "The hallways on the third and fourth floor were messed up. The rocks came in, glass was broken."

There were no injuries.

Hay's car was untouched, with rocks landing a few feet away from it. Many other cars, however, were dented and had glass shattered.

One car belongs to tenant Wei Zhang.

"I only found out when I woke up in the morning. I got the email from management, and then we ran down to see how's our car," Zhang said. "The whole front got smashed. The front window is cracked."

She said she won't be able to drive it while it's damaged, so she'll have to take the bus to work.

Engineers were on the scene as tenants asked ask the question why this keeps happening. There was also a rockslide in September.

"It wasn't this bad. It was a lot less. I know some cars got previously, got kind of destroyed," a tenant named Joshua said.

New, stronger walls and perhaps netting are likely to be on a list of demands from tenants who eagerly wait for results of the investigation.

Residents said the previous rockslide at the property also took place during a rainstorm.

Dave Carlin

Dave Carlin serves as a reporter for CBS2 News and covers breaking news stories and major events in the Tri-State Area.

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NORTH BERGEN, New Jersey (WABC) -- The rock slide that occurred in North Bergen on Monday was caused by this past weekend's heavy rain, according to the conclusion reached by engineers.

Multiple cars were crushed during the chaotic scene that unfolded Monday, leaving a cloud of concern among residents who live above the site.

Residents living above the site believe increasing traffic is playing a part in the cause the ground the shift.

"There's been a large amount of heavy truck traffic in the area, cutting through all these streets to avoid traffic in other areas," said North Bergen resident Antonio Quinlan. "And there's an increase in amount of vibrations, which is easy enough to feel."

Photos taken inside the Dutchess apartment complex over on River Road show just how dangerous this could have been with rocks landing in the building.

Mud and rocks also covered vehicles parked in the back of the building.

Residents called authorities after the slide and engineers have been accessing this incident ever since.

The disaster has led to the closure of John F. Kennedy Boulevard between 74th and 78th streets, as engineers take time to fully address the problem.

The boulevard is a major thoroughfare for buses heading to and from the Lincoln Tunnel.

For now, they are being diverted through residential streets.

Meanwhile, the cliffs are covered with overgrown vegetation and loose rocks underneath.

While weather is a big factor in causing the ground to give way, some believe heavy traffic in the area is intensifying the problem.

"Just as the bus passes by and hits their brakes and the loud engines, tractor trailers, heavy trucks constantly coming through the neighborhood in the past few years," said Quinlan.

The Hudson County Sheriff's Office continued to patrol the area to make sure nobody goes down the impacted area.

There's no word on when it will reopen.

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Let me settle the debate once and for all.

Yes, there is a North Jersey and a South Jersey. Yes, they are very different.

When North Jersey folks go to "the city," they are headed into Manhattan.

When South Jersey goes to "the city," it's Philadelphia, and most just say they're headed to "Philly."

The question has always been, where do you draw the line?

Conventional wisdom has the line at Route 195. The problem, of course, is using that line, that puts Allentown, New Jersey, and Vineland in the same South Jersey region.

It also puts Asbury Park and Ridgewood in the same North Jersey region. Ridiculous.

Let me clear up the confusion.

The Northern part of the state does start north of 195 and the southern portion south of 195. But true South Jerseyans know that real South Jersey starts if you draw a line East to West from Burlington to Plumsted.

Of course, once that line hits Lake Hurst in the Manchester/Toms River area, you're no longer in South Jersey, nor are you in Central Jersey.

That's the start of the "Jersey Shore" region.

I would put Lakewood, Holmdel, and Howell as border towns with most identifying as part of the "Shore region".

A caller weighed in to say that according to the NJ DOT, Central Jersey goes as far north as Phillipsburg. I think that's certainly a stretch.

What's interesting is New Jersey has always been divided into regions.

If we go back a couple of hundred years, NJ was divided between east and west from 1676 until the province was united in 1702 under one governor as a royal colony in the British Empire.

So which section of the Garden State do you call home? And do you agree with my assessment?

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Spadea. Any opinions expressed are Bill's own. Bill Spadea is on the air weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m., talkin’ Jersey, taking your calls at 1-800-283-1015.

Click here to contact an editor about feedback or a correction for this story.

Dozens of vehicles parked behind a North Bergen high-rise at the foot of the Palisades were badly damaged in a rockslide, the second in the past three months.

The rockslide occurred overnight Sunday, apparently caused by the heavy daylong rain, and woke some residents at The Duchess at 7601 River Rd. The falling rock smashed through a chain link fence and over a retaining wall, cascading over vehicles in the parking lot and even causing some damage to the parking garage.

No injuries were reported. Tuesday morning construction vehicles were on the scene, removing the dirt and rocks from the property.

One resident noted that there is a mesh netting on the cliffs behind the pharmacy next door, but none behind The Duchess, even after a minor rockslide occurred in September.

“I don’t feel too safe,” said Ruth Tejano, who has lived in the building for five months. “I wish they did something to remedy this before, after the first time it happened. At least these rocks would have been held in place.”

A spokesman for North Bergen said the township’s planning board requires all development projects that impact the cliff to install protective netting and fencing, but since the Duchess developers did not touch the cliff in any way, the netting was not required.

An ordinance requiring protective netting for all projects below the cliff is expected to be introduced at a future commissioners’ meeting, said spokesman Nick Bond. Calls to the building’s management went unanswered.

“Our focus now is addressing the aftermath and taking proactive measures to ensure that this does not happen again, because the amount of rain we received that night was not a one time event,” Mayor Nick Sacco said.

As a result of the rockslide, Boulevard East right above the Duchess is closed from 74th to 78th streets for a stability assessment.

Bond said a group of engineers for the township, county and the property owner met on-site Monday and Tuesday and determined the incident was unrelated to any development or construction on River Road, although it’s not known how the engineers could make a determination so quickly.

The first developments under those cliffs on the west side of River Road in North Bergen more than 10 years ago were staunchly opposed by groups like the Coalition to Preserve the Palisades Cliffs because construction involved cutting into the cliff.

Hudson County District 2 Commissioner Bill O’Dea, who was the only commissioner to vote against those developments in 2008, said Tuesday the safety concerns will be discussed at the commissioners’ next public resources committee meeting.

Karen Samiec, an Edgewater resident who stopped to take a look at the rockslide, said she saw this coming.

“With all the over-building that has been going on down here it was bound to happen,” Samiec said. “These cliffs run all the way down River Road. It’s just dangerous. There’s just too much construction. ... They have to put in pilings so they are banging the pilings in and of course its disrupting everything.”

The Duchess, 11 stories high with 320 units, was developed by Fred Daibes and opened in 2018 to much fanfare. Daibes is accused of bribing Sen. Bob Menendez and authorities say his DNA was found on cash in Menendez’s home. Also, the gold bars found in Menendez’s home have been linked to Daibes.

The Edgewater-based developer also owns the parcel next to The Duchess and has local approvals to build another high-rise there under the name 7711-7815 River Road Associates.

In 2012, Union City Mayor and state Sen. Brian Stack said North Bergen Mayor Nicholas Sacco “obviously destroyed the Palisades. North Bergen is the poster child for the destruction of the cliffs.” Stack had proposed a bill that would limit development under the cliff, the “Save The Palisades Act” that year, but it never was posted for a full vote.

North Bergen is asking the county to conduct an independent engineering and geological review of the cliffs along Boulevard East and River Road from Weehawken to North Bergen to identify potential risks and allow for measures to be implemented to ensure the safety of residents and properties below.

As national mortgage rates continue to level off, homebuyer demand in several North Jersey towns is anticipated to heat up in 2024.

Towns like Ridgewood, Wayne and Denville proved to be North Jersey's hottest homebuying markets in 2023, but real estate agents from our region have their own predictions for towns that might have a chance to see an influx of homebuyers.

Here are seven towns that could be popular with homebuyers in the new year, according to agents:

Westwood

The "Hub of the Pascack Valley" is expected to be a popular candidate for homebuyers in 2024. With a historic downtown, a booming shopping district and a train station settled in the center of town for easy access to New York City, Westwood gives residents a convenient lifestyle with local charm.

"I think Westwood is a great up-and-coming town. It has a robust downtown, and I think a lot of buyers definitely value that," said Max Stokes, a partner of the Fox & Stokes team at Compass Real Estate. "It's relatively still affordable compared to the surrounding towns, and it has excellent commutability to Manhattan as well, so it's centrally located in the county. So I think if I had to place one bet, Westwood is where it would be." The town is 20 miles from Manhattan.

Westwood's median home value was $621,034 in November. The town offers places like Five Dimes Brewery, Trader Joe's, several parks and Hackensack Meridian Health Pascack Valley Medical Center.

Glen Rock

Along the border between Bergen and Passaic counties is Glen Rock, a smaller suburban community with family-friendly attractions, a popular downtown area and two train stations.

Roi Klipper, an agent with Concoran Infinity Properties, said the town's proximity to New York City and its highly rated school system make it attractive for homebuyers. He said updates to Glen Rock's downtown area will also make it increasingly popular in the new year.

"I know the downtown is getting revitalized a little bit, so you have a lot of new restaurants coming in. So there's a lot more trajectory for the town," he said. "If you do the math, given the proximity to the city and downtown Glen Rock, it's the perfect storm for bidding wars and for inventory to fly off the shelf pretty quickly."

Glen Rock is 21 miles from Manhattan and had a median home value of $862,213, as of November. The town offers places like Starbucks, the Glen Rock Duck Pond and a variety of local businesses.

Hackensack

With more of a city environment and room for various types of lifestyles, from high-rise and apartment living to traditional single-family homes, Hackensack gives homebuyers, and even renters, a variety of options. Betti Russo, a broker sales associate with Keller Williams Prosperity Realty in Wayne and Oakland, said Hackensack is also undergoing a lot of upgrades, adding to its appeal.

"The location is phenomenal. It's in a great location and so close to everything. You really can't want for anything while you're there, except maybe the mountains," she said. "I feel like Hackensack is really up-and-coming for all different age groups, but especially millennials, entrepreneurs, people that are really in the midst of their career, looking to grow and looking for the action."

Russo said downtown Hackensack is being revitalized, and there are a lot of new amenities and stores popping up around the city.

Hackensack is about 13 miles from Manhattan and had a median home value of $398,369 as of November. In the city, you can find a Target store, The Shops at Riverside, a ShopRite, Hackensack University Medical Center and a variety of restaurants.

Oakland

Russo also said she foresees Oakland being a hot real estate market in the new year. Another town along the Bergen-Passaic border, Oakland is a quiet suburban community that offers a mix between upscale living and a quiet lifestyle in nature.

"You have the taste of Bergen County but you also have the taste of Ringwood, which is all mountains. Oakland is surrounded by the Ramapo Mountains, so when you're here, there's lots of hiking and there's a lot of nature that people will usually go further away from," she said. "Before you hit Oakland, you hit towns like Wyckoff and Franklin Lakes that are much more expensive. While home values are growing everywhere, including Oakland, it's still less expensive to live here than it is to live in Franklin Lakes or Wyckoff. So you get the beauty of the town and also a more affordable price point."

Russo said Oakland offers a variety of housing opportunities and home styles, so potential homebuyers are bound to find something to fit their needs.

"You can buy a ranch or a Cape Cod or a colonial. There's also a community here that is called the Ramapo River Reserve where you get more of that HOA community, but there's single-family homes and townhouses here, too," she said. "So there's a really wide range of different lifestyles that you can have right within this really pretty town."

Oakland is about 30 miles from Manhattan and had a median home value of $628,379 in November. You can find a variety of local businesses and access to nature trails, such as those around Ramapo Lake, in Oakland.

Ringwood

The most woodsy and spacious town included on this list, Ringwood is a family-oriented community for homebuyers looking for larger properties and more green spaces. Russo said Ringwood could be a hot spot in the new year because it offers more property and living space for less money than surrounding areas.

"I've done a lot of real estate in Ringwood for people that are coming in, with a lot of them coming in from the city and other areas because they want to get away from the busyness," she said. "You can get so much more for your money in Ringwood in terms of the size of the house and the property. It is unbelievable what you can get in Ringwood versus even coming down to Oakland, never mind Franklin Lakes. You can pay half the price for a house that you're paying in a town like Franklin Lakes, so it's very attractive for that reason."

Ringwood, which is about 35 miles from Manhattan, had a median home value of $504,629 as of November. In Ringwood, you can find places like the New Jersey Botanical Gardens with Ringwood Manor, Skylands Manor, a variety of lakes and many local businesses.

Morris Township

In Morris County, Will Alfaro, a sales associate with Coldwell Banker, said he believes Morris Township will be a hot spot for homebuyers in the new year. This is due to the fact that the area, which surrounds Morristown, has a bustling downtown but also offers more bang for your buck.

"Morris Township is getting a lot of action. You get a lot of money for square footage on the property and the lot, and taxes are still very reasonable," he said. "And, of course, there's easy access to public transportation and the downtown area, restaurants, shopping, all of those things."

Morris Township, about 40 miles from Manhattan, has a median home value of $775,000. It offers places like the Morris Museum, the Frelinghuysen Arboretum and public parks and has easy access to Morristown.

Bloomfield

Alfaro also suggested that Bloomfield will be in high demand in the new year. This is because of its location next to Montclair, which tends to be a more competitive and pricier area.

"A lot of people are getting priced out of Montclair, so they'll go with the next-best option," he said. "It's also very accessible to public transportation, access to New York City, as well as easy access to places like restaurants, specialty shops, a nice downtown area, things like that."

Bloomfield is less than 18 miles from Manhattan and has a median home value of $516,573. The town has a ShopRite, several public parks and easy access to cultural hubs including downtown Montclair.

Maddie McGay is the real estate reporter for NorthJersey.com and The Record, covering all things worth celebrating about living in North Jersey. Find her on Instagram @maddiemcgay, on X @maddiemcgayy, and sign up for her North Jersey Living newsletter. Do you have a tip, trend or terrific house she should know about? Email her at [email protected].

3-minute read

For several of the dignitaries gathered at the concrete desert off Tonnelle Avenue in North Bergen on Thursday to announce the start of construction on the New Jersey side of the Gateway rail tunnel entrance, there was a feeling of déjà vu.

Some had been here before — when the same project launched in 2009.

Back then, there was a $13.6 million contract to move the utilities, demolish a McDonald's on the future track path, and build an overpass so Tonnelle Avenue vehicle traffic could flow over the new rail tunnel entrance.

But when Gov. Chris Christie in 2010 canceled the rail tunnel project — known then as ARC — the Tonnelle overpass portion of the work had been underway for 13 months and was nearly a third of the way done. The newly constructed overpass and support beams were visible, along with piles of materials stacked and ready for installation.

Story continues below photo gallery.

After Christie's decision, the contractor was told to put back utilities, demolish some of the overpass structure and fill in the space where the construction took place.

Some 14-year-old aging concrete support beams remain stacked in rows on the site, just feet from where shovelfuls of dirt were tossed Thursday to mark the newest version of the Tonnelle Avenue overpass project.

Now, Edison-based Conti Civil LLC will do the project all over again, this time for $28.6 million.

New York-based Naik Consulting Group will be paid $12.5 million to oversee the construction of the new overpass and utility relocation to kick off what is now called the Gateway program. Some $25 million of those costs will be covered with a federal grant.

More:This NJ-NY agency can now get federal money for Gateway rail tunnel. Why that matters

$16.1 billion Gateway tunnel project

This and the $649 million concrete casing construction that began earlier this year on the Manhattan side of the tunnel are the starting pieces to the $16.1 billion Gateway tunnels project that will build a new two-track tube and rehabilitate the existing, 113-year-old tunnel.

A $2.3 billion project already underway to replace the aging and cantankerous Portal Bridge over the Hackensack River between Kearny and Secaucus with a new Portal North Bridge is also part of the first phase of Gateway.

Portal Bridge, a swing span, carries 450 Amtrak and NJ Transit trains per day. They are often delayed at the Portal Bridge because the aging components sometimes malfunction while opening and closing, causing a cascade of delays.

The improvements will make rail service more reliable for hundreds of thousands of daily NJ Transit and Amtrak riders traveling between New Jersey and Manhattan.

More:Feds add $4 billion to Gateway tunnel project, which will cut NJ's share of the cost

Though the Tonnelle Avenue project is virtually a redo, much has changed in 14 years.

Polly Trottenberg, deputy secretary at the U.S. Department of Transportation, was working there in 2010 as the assistant secretary for transportation policy and vividly remembers the day the project was canceled. But what sticks out to her now is what happened afterward.

"After that, I remember very much Amtrak coming back and saying, 'We have a fresh vision, and one thing we’re going to do this go-around is we’re going to have everyone at the table,'" Trottenberg said.

On Thursday, that was one of the messages trumpeted by the speakers.

"It really does matter that we are all in it together to make sure we are all putting funding forward, because otherwise we can’t get it done," said Kathryn Garcia, director of state operations in New York.

"But we know it’s not just about building a shiny thing," Garcia said. "We know we need to meet the needs of the next century. Commuters deserve to have plenty of space to get on and off trains safely and efficiently, and the governor has a responsibility to meet those needs creatively and in the most cost-effective way."

Nearly $11 billion in federal funds

In addition to the federal grants for Tonnelle and the concrete casing project, U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer announced that Gateway would receive nearly $3.9 billion from the federal-state partnership grant program, on top of $6.88 billion in federal Capital Investment Grant funds that is expected to be solidified next year.

The significant federal investment lowers the costs that will be owed by New York and New Jersey.

Kris Kolluri, CEO of the Gateway Development Commission, the bistate agency that is overseeing the tunnels project, remembers being at Tonnelle in 2009 to kick off that groundbreaking. He noted that in 2009 there was just $3.8 billion of federal funding for a project estimated then to cost $8.7 billion.

"This is the right moment and it’s the right project alignment, and I think this time there is construction on both sides of the river and we are not stopping," Kolluri said.

But in order to feel the full effects of having four rail lines under the Hudson River, more money and projects will be needed to increase the capacity in New York Penn Station so more trains can come and go, plus projects to give direct access to NJ Transit rail lines whose riders are currently forced to switch trains before reaching midtown Manhattan.

"We’re going to bring new improvements and opportunities to New Jersey with every milestone we reach, because with every step we take we’re moving closer to our larger goal, building safer, healthier and happier communities," said Gov. Phil Murphy.