Port Authority advances plan to improve EWR access for Newark, Elizabeth

The Port Authority Board of Commissioners authorized $12 million for the planning and preliminary design of the EWR Station Access Project during its March 16 meeting, which will increase public transit access and connectivity for underserved communities in Newark and Elizabeth.

The approval is for a new multimodal facility at the AirTrain Newark Rail Link Station serving Newark Liberty International Airport.

“When complete the EW Station Access Project will further promote public transportation use and efficiency in two of New Jersey’s largest cities,” said Gov. Phil Murphy in a statement. “Enhancing connectivity means expanding opportunity – opportunity that for far too long has remained out of reach for historically excluded communities in our state. While connecting residents to our world-class transportation network and airport, this project will also catalyze economic activity and generate good-paying jobs for hard-working New Jerseyans.”

Officials say the project, which leverages existing transportation assets, will significantly reduce the time it takes for Newark and Elizabeth residents to reach EWR, as well as improve connections to PATH train service from Newark Penn Station while spurring transit-oriented development around the Northeast Corridor station serving the airport.

The plan also advances goals to support safe and efficient access to the existing transit services for pedestrians and cyclists as well as via personal vehicles, public buses, shuttles, for-hire vehicles and taxis.

The Port Authority says that while the planning, environmental review, design, public outreach and participation process continue, it will seek federal grant funding for the project, and has applied for $45 million in construction grant funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant Program.

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka applauded the Port Authority’s move, noting the meticulous planning and design is in line with the way he says Newark has been moving forward for years.

“We appreciate the importance of collecting hard data and harnessing knowledge to maximize a positive impact on our quality of life,” said Baraka. “This project benefits passengers going in and out of Newark Liberty Airport, but I especially commend Port Authority and its partners for their dedication to the residents of our South and East wards who will enjoy access to fast, affordable, state-of-the-art commuter rail transportation. Contributing to a more robust economy and job market in Newark, this project is as much as an economic imperative as it is a moral imperative – and we are grateful for the board’s commitment to equity and equality.”

“Linking working class neighborhoods to easy access to New York City and several other urban areas in New Jersey is critical to advancing economic and employment opportunities for these residents,” said William O’Dea, executive director of the Elizabeth Development Co.

“For decades, the communities of the South Ward of Newark and the northern part of Elizabeth have lacked affordable transit options, particularly to Newark Liberty and New York City,” said Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole. “This project is an example of government at its best by figuring out a way to deliver a project faster and for less money while also putting thousands of well-paying jobs within reach.”

“This project can help alleviate inequities in the transportation caused by transit structure that obstruct rather than facilitate easy connections, including in this case one-seat rides into Manhattan,” said Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton.