Summer: State Sen. William Haines, R-Mount Laurel, conceives a riverfront line as alternative to other long-studied routes in South Jersey. 1996

Summer: Daniel Mann Johnson Mendenhall concludes the line is feasible after a 45-day study.

Fall: NJ Transit's board authorizes staff to proceed with riverfront alignment. 1998

Fall: A consortium headed by megabuilder Bechtel submits a low bid of $604 million to build the line and operate it for 10 years. 1999

December: The Federal Railroad Administration allows freight and passenger service to run on the same tracks, clearing the way for the contract award to a Bechtel-led consortium called Rail Group. 2000

Jan. 1: Rail Group is cleared to begin construction, expected to be complete within three years.

May 7: Ground is broken for the light rail line. 2001

April 5: A 210-foot-long section of a light-rail bridge on Rancocas Creek collapses, causing minor structural damage and delaying work on the line.

Aug. 1: Workers anchor the light-rail bridge over Rancocas Creek back into place. 2003

Jan. 1: The expected completion date comes and goes, as do subsequent predictions for spring, summer and fall.

June 12: NJ Transit agrees to remove contaminated dirt in Camden and Florence that it was using for berms. Residents were worried about their safety, although the Department of Environmental Protection said the dirt was not a threat.

Nov. 12: NJ Transit Executive Director George Warrington announces a new opening date of Feb. 15.

NJ Transit also announces the system's new name: River Line. 2004

Feb. 2: NJ Transit abandons plans to begin operating the River Line on Feb. 15, instead setting March 14 as the new target date. Officials blame problems at 18 of the 70 grade crossings for the delay.

Feb. 23: NJ Transit announces it will run a late-night shuttle between Pennsauken and Camden to serve the waterfront entertainment area.

March 14: River Line to open.