Port Authority to transform access to Newark Liberty’s rail station
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The Board of Commissioners of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has approved $160 million for design and construction of the EWR Station Access project, which will add a new entry point to the Newark Liberty International Airport Rail Station.
The project is expected to greatly improve transit accessibility for underserved Newark and Elizabeth neighbourhoods, enabling far easier commutes and streamlined airport access.
It will include an extension of the existing pedestrian bridge over station platforms and tracks to a new public access area off Frelinghuysen Avenue.
The public access area will include a pick-up/drop-off point for private vehicles, taxis, buses, and for-hire vehicles, along with bicyclist and pedestrian access. Construction is expected to be completed in 2026.
The new facility will transform transit access for residents of North Elizabeth and Newark’s South Ward. Transit trips to both Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and Newark Penn Station will take under 10 minutes with the new facility.Currently, the same journey via existing transit options from these neighbourhoods can take 40 minutes.
The project will also improve connections to PATH train service from Newark Penn Station for access to job centers in Jersey City and Manhattan, while spurring transit-oriented development around the rail station serving the airport, consistent with local community-driven planning efforts.
Today, accessing the airport for travel or employment is unnecessarily difficult for these neighborhoods, typically requiring a private vehicle or lengthy public transit trip despite close proximity to the AirTrain.
“My administration is proud to partner with the Port Authority on the latest component in the ambitious plan to transform Newark Airport into a modern, world-class gateway,” said Governor of New Jersey, Phil Murphy.
“This latest project will be a crucial bridge – literally and figuratively – for local residents, many of whom help power one of the world’s busiest airports. An extended pedestrian bridge will provide access to multiple modes of transportation, cutting down travel time significantly, and providing greater and easier access not only to multiple modes of transportation, but to a world of opportunities.”
PANYNJ’s chairman, Kevin O’Toole, stated: “This is a true example of how transit access can transform a community.
“This project will fill in a critical link that had been missing for too long in the South Ward and North Elizabeth, giving residents in these previously underserved neighborhoods far easier access not just to Newark Airport, but to our regional transit system and all the opportunities that come with it.”
While Rick Cotton, executive director of the Port Authority, enthused: “This project represents the Port Authority at its best – breaking down barriers and expanding economic opportunity all around our facilities.
“Transit access is proven to be a game changer – expanding job options, shortening commutes, and promoting sustainability. We’re proud to help deliver those opportunities to these Newark and Elizabeth neighbourhoods.”