Image 1 of 3 ▼ A rendering of the new PATH station in Harrison, N.J. (Port Authority of New York and New Jersey)

Officials from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey officially opened the eastbound side of the PATH station in Harrison on Wednesday, a key milestone in a $256 million redevelopment that began nearly 10 years ago.

The station has been the catalyst for a burst of retail and residential development in Harrison, a town of about 18,000 residents that has grown by about 30% since the 2010 census.

Population growth around stations in Harrison and Jersey City has increased strain on the PATH system, which connects Newark, Hoboken and Jersey City with New York.

But the crowding figures to get worse before it gets better. Due to the size of some stations, PATH trains can't run more than eight cars at a time.