$1.5 Billion PATH Extension to Newark Airport Approved, Construction Set for 2018

Port Authority’s move to provide $1.5 billion in funding for the one stop PATH extension to Newark Liberty National Airport is being lauded today by New Jersey officials. The construction, set to begin in 2018, will provide an affordable commute for many, and convenient travel options for thousands.

The Port Authority of NYNJ also approved $6.4 million for planning for the project in the 2015 Capital Budget approved today. The $1.5 billion PATH extension will run from PATH’s western terminus at Newark Penn Station to the airport using existing Northeast Corridor rail lines.

About 3,000 passengers travelling out of Newark Airport each day would use the new extension to take a PATH train to the airport, according to a study investigated by NJ.com. The project, which would serve about 6,000 passengers a day, will take five years to complete, according to NJ Advanced Media.

Once completed, travelers arriving at Newark Airport will be able to take PATH trains to Newark Penn Station, Harrison, Jersey City and to the World Trade Center, a growing residential area in Manhattan, without having to change trains.

“This is exactly the type of project the Port Authority should be doing,” NJDOT Commissioner Jamie Fox said. “Transportation is all about getting people where they need to go in the most efficient manner. Providing a mass transit option with direct access between lower Manhattan and Newark Airport enhances the accessibility and convenience for travelers using the airport.”

In addition to providing travelers with direct access from the airport to lower Manhattan and the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, it also will serve commuters in Essex and Union counties by giving them an affordable alternative to driving into New York City.

“Enhancing mass transit opportunities is critically important to the regional economy and future growth of the New York-New Jersey metropolitan area,” Fox said. “The PATH extension to Newark Airport is an investment that will pay dividends for decades after its completion.”