HOBOKEN — The waiting room at NJ Transit's Hoboken Terminal reopened today, a day earlier than expected, but nearly six weeks after it was shut by mold and floor damage related to Hurricane Sandy.

Jim Weinstein, NJ Transit's executive director, is scheduled to greet customers outside the room at 4 p.m. today and thank them for their patience.

Flooding from Sandy left at least five feet of water in the historic transit hub that serves nearly 60,000 people each weekday. Up to 8 inches of mud and debris were left behind once the water receded.

The waiting room reopened for a about a month beginning Nov. 18, the day Vice President Joe Biden toured the terminal, but there was no heat and the doors were left open. The terminal has radiant heat that rises from the floor. Once the heat was turned on, that, coupled with water still under the floor, caused the Terrazzo flooring to buckle.

"The Terrazzo is rising and there are some tripping hazards, so we've got to get that taken care of," Joe Meade, superintendent of the Hoboken Transit Division for NJ Transit, said during an interview earlier this month.

In addition, a small amount of mold was found, prompting NJ Transit to close the waiting room again on Dec. 19.

"It was just minor, but then we brought (consultants) in and the potential was for it to get worse," said Kevin O'Connor, NJ Transit's vice president and general manager of rail operations.

The historic benches in the 106-year-old Hoboken Terminal — one of the crown jewels of NJ Transit hubs, with its Greek revival ornamentation and 22-story clock tower — also had to be removed and refurbished.

But today, commuters once again have a place to get out of the cold.

Walls have been power-washed and heating systems have been replaced. A temporary boiler was found as a replacement for one that was waterlogged during the hurricane.

While the renovation work continues, plastic is covering wooden structures such as benches, the newsstands and shoeshine stand.

The food court and public restrooms still need to be gutted and rebuilt, officials said.

Beginning today, Hoboken customers can also use idling, heated trains equipped with restrooms. Four cars with restrooms will be parked in the middle of the terminal on Track 8.

Commuters who have questions or suggestions can take them to NJ Transit operations managers and senior staff during a forum outside the waiting room from 4:30 to 6 p.m. on Feb. 12.

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