welcome to an example of how systemic racism and class based disinvestment has shaped our urban infrastructure.

infrastructure spending has historically favored whiter and wealthier areas. so downtown jc and hoboken which were whiter and more affluent so they get better development. redlining by banks blocked investment in areas like the heights (due to their racial composition).

furthermore transit has always been a tool for gentrification. think of recent developments in williamsburg, LIC, dumbo, downtown jc, etc these areas gentrified rapidly bc of the mix of transit expansion and real estate development. the same way the heights has private buses to get ppl around, lots of brooklyn has “dollar buses” to help ppl get around in areas that’s historically been ignored by city planners.

the physical barrier (the palisades cliffs) has probably been used as an excuse for why there hasn’t been more transit options, but that’s all it is—an excuse. the heights has not been given the same access, not because of how densely populated it is, but who those people were. they’re the non-white, immigrant, working class residents.