Port Authority advancing PATH extension to Newark Airport

[pumpers]

Is an extension of PATH from Newark Penn Station to Newark Airport ever seriously discussed? Or has it permanently been put to rest? Sorry if it has been discussed to death—I don't follow PATH closely. JS

[Irish Chieftain]

On the old forum (not saved, unfortunately), there was quite a bit of talk about PATH being extended to the Northeast Corridor EWR monorail station, most likely on the other side of said station in the currently disused track space of Waverly Yard.

PATH tracks currently extend to South Street in Newark, right across the street from the abandoned PRR South Street Station, but those are only used as storage tracks at present.

Why only to Waverly? Probably having to do with space constraints presented by the monorail, but more likely due to NJ Transit's competing "Newark Rail Link", aka the project in the works to extend the Newark City Subway LRT line into EWR (and possibly southwards into Elizabeth on abandoned portions of the former CNJ main line).

[Tom V]

The Port Authority approved the funding to begin the planning during one of it's Board meetings last Winter, they are planning to complete all the studies and impact statements by '05 and start construction in '06.

They might include a Newark South station in Downtown Newark aswell as the Newark Airport station, the Newark Airport PATH station will be at the current Airlink station in the former Waverly yards. They will add a third platform to the station for PATH trains, the PATH platform will be connected to the concourses of the Airtrain station as the other NJ Transit/Amtrak platforms are configured.

The PATH platform will be on the East side of the current Rail link station, a layup yard will be built adjacent to the station on the Waverly Yards site.

The PATH connection to Newark Airport had risen to the top of the PA's priority in 2000 even before 9-11, the renewed investments in Lower Manhattan particulary the $2 Billion Dollar permanent PATH station at the World Trade Center designed by Santiago Calavatrava have brought the project to the forefront.

The PATH extension to Newark Airport is to be complete by 2009, to coincide with the completion of the PATH hub at the World Trade Center. The PATH extension to EWR is estimated at $500 Million, much of which will go to either a bridge or tunnel for the PATH to cross the NEC.

Still $500 Million is a great deal to connect Lower Manhattan to a major airport when you consider the $6 Billion NYC and State are trying to drum up to build a connection to Lower Manhattan from JFK.

[communipaw]

I was very glad to see Tom V's response because I hadn't known about these details of the extension to the airport.

I could never understand why such an obvious, and relatively simple extension, had not been carried out 10 if not 20 years ago.

http://hudsoncity.net/tubes/gatewaytubepage.html

[JLo]

Tom, great update. Whatever is built, a tunnel or bridge, I hope it is planned in such a way as to permit use by the NERL extension.

[pumpers]

Well, that is surprisingly good news, hard to believe. 5 years is not so long in these things.

Is this one of those things that is for real, ie. PA is really going to do it, or is it just been approved to be on a wish list, depends on federal funding getting allocated...?

What other agencies would have to approve?

Is there any hard info or plan on the PA web site?
THanks, JS

[JLo]

The PA is building and paying for nearly $1 billion in NJ projects that are not even PA projects ($250mm for NJT railcars, $250mm for new Parkway bridge, $150mm for new rail link to Meadowlands, some of the few). If the PA wants it to happen, it will happen. It usually does not receive federal money for its projects as it is generates its own income via tolls and fares. IIRC, the only recent exception is the rebuilds related to ground zero.

[Tom V]

What other agencies would have to approve?

The Port Authority is going to be paying for it, no approvals are needed from anyone else other than the Port Authority's own board. The PA owns Newark Airport, the Airtrain, the PATH, the World Trade Center site and much of the land needed for the extension.

The Port Authority will cover the entire $500 Million cost, however they will recover much of the money through the Airtrain surcharge. The cost to ride the PATH to Newark airport via the PATH and the Airtrain $6.50, $1.50 PATH plus $5.00 Airtrain surcharge. The $5.00 surcharge will go towards paying the construction bonds.

The PATH is getting a huge makeover, new fleet, new World Trade Center Station designed by a world reknowed architecht and a connection to Newark Airport. It makes economic sense for the Port Authority to connect Newark Airport to the PATH as that would make the office space (re)built at the World Trade Center that much more valuable, having a connection to a major International airport is something major firms would find very attractive.

[JLo]

The PA has formally announced the funding of the study for direct connections to Newark and JFK. See http://www.panynj.gov/ and click on the headlines.

The agreement also calls for the Port Authority to provide funding commitments for one-seat rides from Lower Manhattan to JFK and Newark Liberty airports.

The Port Authority will allocate $60 million to study a direct connection from Lower Manhattan to JFK, and $30 million to study extending the PATH to Newark. If the projects are determined to be feasible from an engineering, operational and financial standpoint, the Port Authority would include funding for these projects in its Capital Plan -- the extension to Newark at an estimated cost of at least $500 million, and contribute an equivalent amount for airport access to JFK.

[Irish Chieftain]

Getting direct links to articles on the PA's web site requires a right-click on the article's text and going to "Properties"; then you'll be able to get the direct URL to the page in question.

http://www.panynj.gov/AboutthePortAuthority/PressCenter/
PressReleases/PressRelease/index.php?id=607

As for a direct train between JFK and Lower Manhattan, the cheapest way would be to connect the AirTrain to the MTA's A-train subway, which already has an established tunnel route into Manhattan via Downtown...not the fastest, but certainly cheaper than building an all-new rail line, or even sending the LIRR in there...

[Tommy Meehan]

Tom I couldn't find the press release in the headline listings for the board's decision to build a Newark Airport link. Do you recall the date?

I wonder if they will ever revive the plan of some 30 years ago to extend PATH beyond the airport to Elizabeth and then west along the old CNJ right of way? It was supposed to be constructed simultaneously with a JFK link via the old LIRR Far Rockaway Branch.

Tommy Meehan

[Irish Chieftain]

The PATH CNJ idea is long dead. Besides, NJT has their hands still into the "Union County Light Rail" idea to connect the Newark Subway with the CNJ in Elizabeth, with a possible terminus at Cranford to connect with the RVL.

[Douglas John Bowen]

Irish Chieftain's assessment of any ex-CNJ reuse is accurate, as is his statement that PATH is unlikely to go anywhere in Union County.

Current plans to establish light rail transit (LRT) in Union County are much more likely (things can always change, NJ-ARP will readily acknowledge).

In fact, Union County has received permission (if not an endorsement) from the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey (PA) to bring such LRT to the airport proper, directly to all three major passenger terminals (including those situated across the border in Essex County).

So while PATH approaches Newark Liberty International from the north, LRT would serve it from the south.

In broad general brushstrokes, NJ-ARP supports both efforts.

[JLo]

In fact, Union County has received permission (if not an endorsement) from the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey (PA) to bring such LRT to the airport proper, directly to all three major passenger terminals (including those situated across the border in Essex County).

Anyone else find it ironic that the PATH will not have one-stop service direct to the terminals, but Union County Light Rail might?

[rail__debris]

altho, having PATH go to ewr would be a nice addition and should have been done years ago, it is a kinda dead issue now. you can take amtrak/njt to airport, which is faster and more comfortable* and pa probably has other projects to spend its money on.
i think that the nerl (or whatever it is called now) is a good idea becuz it will link ewr with stops south and south west of the airport. not to mention it will be easier to construct due to the fact that PATH requires third rail while light rail requires catenary.**


*not that trains do not become packed after stopping at ewr, but a packed njt/amtrak train to newark is better than a packed PATH train to newark.
**unless all or part of the nerl will use riverline vehicles, which run on diesel.