The Port Authority’s updated 2026 capital plan offers the prospect of greatly improved facilities at Newark Airport, in the transportation systems that will connect the Airport and its neighbors, and in intermediate communities with destinations and ridership based in Lower Manhattan.

DLMA and RPA look forward to working with PANYNJ and with New York and New Jersey’s executive and legislative leadership to bring these improvements to fruition, and to ensure that they deliver the greatest possible benefit to the region.

1. Keep PATH extension funding and planning on track, and keep the public informed and engaged
   Much has occurred in the past three years to advance the PATH extension to Newark Airport, and the inclusion of project funding in the current capital plan is a strong step.
   
   To continue progress, PANYNJ officials should strengthen its partnerships with the public, especially Newark officials and neighborhood groups, and empower stakeholders to advocate for investment in the PATH extension in a way that benefits and supports local residents and businesses.
2. Closely coordinate PATH extension planning with Newark community members
   PANYNJ’s 2017 project scoping document spoke clearly about the need for a PATH extension to connect directly with properties and public access points on either side of the airport rail station. It was similarly clear about the need to extinguish public access restrictions tied to the use of Passenger Facility Charges for construction of the original airport rail station.
   
   As part of a robust community engagement process, PANYNJ should develop design options to allow pedestrian access for community members and new business tenants to PATH and Airtrain stations at Newark Airport. The agency should also work with local stakeholders to address different station area uses, such as PATH railcar storage, bus lanes and bus stops, and auto pick-up and drop-off.
3. Ensure public access to PATH/AirTrain station
   Providing public access to a future PATH/AirTrain Station at Newark Airport is an element of the project’s stated purpose. It will help provide equitable transit system access for, and a new economic opportunity in the heart of at-risk communities, benefitting Newark Airport as a hub and destination airport, and contributing to facility funding and financing through land value increases created by direct transit system and airport access.
   
   PANYNJ planners should share as early as possible their plans for how a new PATH/AirTrain station would be accessible to the public and provide the system-wide benefits such access would enable.
4. Use PATH extension to improve balance between inbound and outbound travel
   Ridership on the PATH system today is heavily weighted towards inbound travel in the morning peak and outbound travel in the evening peak. PANYNJ should use PATH extension planning and construction to support transit-oriented commercial development around new or refurbished PATH stations to increase reverse travel in peak periods.
   
   By supporting economic development in the Newark Airport rail station area and downtown Newark, the PATH extension could increase travel on PATH in the reverse travel direction and fill seats that are empty today. This would generate new revenue for PATH operations, and reduce the PATH system’s subsidy burden on the Port Authority Capital Program.
5. Coordinate PATH extension planning and AirTrain reconstruction
   Announced progress on the Newark AirTrain rebuilding project — under construction by early 2021 at the latest — means that the PATH extension and Newark AirTrain projects must be well-coordinated. The AirTrain technology selected, AirTrain alignment and terminal connections, and the ultimate location of a rebuilt Terminal B all will affect PATH extension planning.
   
   Port Authority officials should share details about how AirTrain and PATH extension projects are being coordinated to achieve the greatest possible economic and transit benefits.
6. Consider land value funding strategies if Port Authority Capital Plan is too constrained
   PANYNJ has allocated $1.6 billion for the PATH extension project and $2 billion for Newark Airtrain in its latest capital program. To the extent that project costs exceed available resources, new sources of funding may be needed.
   
   One potential source of funding is land value increases that could result from adjacent land having new direct access to PATH, NJ TRANSIT, and AirTrain systems.
   
   PANYNJ should explore with partner agencies like New Jersey Economic Development Authority and discuss with adjacent land owners how direct connections with PATH and AirTrain systems would increase the value of station area land, and how to leverage economic value created to support and accelerate project development.
7. Develop a federal funding strategy
   Though highly competitive, federal transit funds are available for transit projects across the country. Project planners should consider other transit projects in the region, and consider whether federal funding request might be appropriate for this project. Locally-generated revenues such as airport access charges, sales taxes, benefit assessments, impact fees, or property tax surcharges would need to be raised to qualify for the required local match.
   
   PANYNJ should work together with local government partners to explore what combination of local fund sources would be most appropriate to document the strength of local funding commitment for federal reviewers.
8. Prioritize transit access to Newark Airport
   The rapid growth of rideshare services like Lyft and Uber, and their side-effects on congestion and transit use, have been amply demonstrated in New York and other cities around the country since 2013. Shared ride services to Newark Airport have grown rapidly, auto travel times have become slower and less reliable, and transit use has remained constant or even declined even while air travel has grown sharply.
   
   Improving transit access to Newark Airport is necessary for time-sensitive air travelers to have a reliable travel option to the airport. To realize this goal, all elements of the transit trip must be given priority and quality at least comparable to access enjoyed by auto-based passengers. To do this, Port Authority officials should provide frequent service, transit fares that are competitive with driving, and easy access to terminals for transit passengers.
9. Equalize auto and transit costs to Newark Airport
   PANYNJ’s capital plan includes a 50% increase in the AirTrain fare to $7.75 to pay for transit system rebuilding costs, and new fees for for-hire vehicles and taxis accessing regional airports. However, no fee has been proposed for personal vehicle trips to and from the airport.
   
   Failure to apply fees to personal vehicle trips neglects the substantial costs necessary to make auto access available to the airports. Applying airport access fees to transit users and not to private cars creates a strong and inequitable disincentive to arrival by transit.
   
   RPA estimates that applying a $4.00 fee on pick-ups and drop-offs at Newark Airport would generate about $100 million annually for PANYNJ’s capital program. These revenues would be free of the use restrictions attached to many aviation activity-based funding sources and could be used to fund transit access improvements for PATH and improved connections with AirTrain.
   
   PANYNJ should document the annual costs of making roadway access available to automobiles in order to quantify the cost per trip of providing auto access to Newark Airport terminals. PANYNJ should also apply pick-up and drop-off fees to all personal vehicles at Newark and other regional airports, and assure that access charges set are consistent with prioritized access for transit.
10. Comprehensively examine system-level PATH needs
    The PATH system serves multiple traveling communities in areas with growing populations. Growth expected over the coming decade is expected to absorb much of the new capacity being added in PANYNJ’s updated capital plan. Pressure on the system is growing.
    
    Recent Port Authority Capital Plans take important steps to address growth in PATH rail ridership, but a more comprehensive PATH system plan is required to ensure that the proposed extension to Newark Airport will contribute to the broadest and most cost-effective system-wide and user benefits possible. Such a comprehensive strategic review could examine system-wide state-of-good-repair needs, investments needed for operational efficiency and flexibility (e.g., tail-tracks, pocket tracks, interlockings, etc.), railcar fleet expansion needs, demand for new stations, maintenance and railcar storage facility needs, and best practices in rail system technology adoption, including operations, customer communication, last-mile travel needs, fares and fare payment, and performance measurement.