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2/8/2017
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey's (PANYNJ) board yesterday approved a $3.2 billion operating budget and $3.4 billion capital budget for 2018.The budgets — which contain no fare or toll increases — will fund agency efforts to enhance security, improve customer service, invest in sustainability and environmental protection, undertake state-of-good repair work and build new transportation facilities, according to a PANYNJ press release.The capital budget includes funding for planning related to the AirTrain project; implementing a positive train control system for the PATH rail system by Dec. 31, 2018; planning activities for a PATH extension to a Newark Liberty International Airport rail link station; construction of an intermodal container transfer facility at Greenville Yards at the Port Jersey Marine Terminal; and support for the planning phase of the Gateway Passenger-Rail Tunnel projects."This budget was crafted following a painstaking review of our finances and our needs to ensure we are investing in projects that are critical to our mission of rebuilding aging infrastructure," said PANYNJ Vice Chairman Jeffrey Lynford.Also yesterday, the board authorized the purchase of 50 new rail cars, a substation replacement and state-of-good repair projects for the PATH system. PANYNJ will purchase the cars from Kawasaki Rail Car Inc. and retain an option to eventually acquire another 22 cars, subject to further board action. The car acquisition is funded under a $150 million allocation in the port authority’s 10-year capital plan adopted earlier this year. The cars are needed to accommodate PATH ridership growth. Ridership, which in 2016 reached a record 78.6 million passengers, is expected to exceed 80 million this year, with an average weekday ridership of nearly 300,000 passengers, PANYNJ officials said in a press release.Other PATH spending items approved yesterday include:• $79.5 million to replace and rehabilitate key components of the current fleet of 350 PA-5 rail cars, as part of PATH's maintenance cycle to ensure a continuing state of good repair. An additional $60 million was authorized for an overhaul of essential car components;• $70.6 million for replacement and upgrade of PATH power substation No. 14, located at the railroad’s maintenance yard in Harrison. The approval covers engineering and architectural costs for design and implementation. The substation was badly damaged during Hurricane Sandy in 2012; and• $29.9 million for interlocking and track work at the Hoboken PATH station to repair extensive damage caused by Hurricane Sandy.
What is NY Transit's take on the AirTrain project to LaGuardia. Wasn't NYT thinking of extending the subway to the airport?
MidlandMikeWasn't NYT thinking of extending the subway to the airport?
They can't. Any residual lack of clarity about 'state' trans-Hudson operations was demonstrably addressed before the construction of the Holland Tunnel; MTA people wouldn't operate the train on the New Jersey portion of the trip. (The arrangements to 'share' ownership or liability would likely be more difficult than the arrangement between Metro North and NJT regarding the Port Jervis service.)
Yes, I still think it would be a good idea to extend the #7 train to New Jersey. Or Dave Klepper's proposed alternative ... although it looks as though maintenance on that line will pose headaches for quite a while. The point is that there is no question of ability or authority involved in extending PATH to Newark Liberty; in fact, I am surprised that it has taken all these years to get around to doing it, and apparently when it's done the PATH trains still won't go to the terminal buildings directly.
The PATH tunnel bores (4) Are about what age ? They were somewhat PRR vintage. What are their condition compared to the Amtrak north river bores ? Believe PATH was able to keep salt water out of their tubes ? But didn't the lower Manhattan tube get flooded after 911 ? The article mentions ordering new cars. Is the short length of the cars due to the tight curves of PATH and if so where are the most restrictive curves ? Has PATH even addressed the eventual replacement of the tubes ?
Overmod MidlandMike Wasn't NYT thinking of extending the subway to the airport? They can't. Any residual lack of clarity about 'state' trans-Hudson operations was demonstrably addressed before the construction of the Holland Tunnel; MTA people wouldn't operate the train on the New Jersey portion of the trip. (The arrangements to 'share' ownership or liability would likely be more difficult than the arrangement between Metro North and NJT regarding the Port Jervis service.) Yes, I still think it would be a good idea to extend the #7 train to New Jersey. Or Dave Klepper's proposed alternative ... although it looks as though maintenance on that line will pose headaches for quite a while. The point is that there is no question of ability or authority involved in extending PATH to Newark Liberty; in fact, I am surprised that it has taken all these years to get around to doing it, and apparently when it's done the PATH trains still won't go to the terminal buildings directly.
MidlandMike Wasn't NYT thinking of extending the subway to the airport?
Please note that I was talking about LaGuardia Airport.
MidlandMikePlease note that I was talking about LaGuardia Airport
Ah. You mean that moronic AirTrain that will cost more than $1.5B to give a slower non-one-seat ride than the Q70 to the wrong people? Or the Astoria Line extension that NIMBYs effectively shut down in the Giuliani years?
As of now the boondoggle line, connecting at Willets Point (ex-Shea) with the 7 train and LIRR, is scheduled to start actual construction in 2019 and be running sometime in 2023. It will be interesting - in the Chinese sense - to see how they get the thing in the Highway median without massive and awful snarls; it could be done, but I doubt the current folks know how. For real amusement, look at the train frequency on that "LIRR" connection, even with the new connection ultimately going to GCT...
I'm not sure how much space is in the median for new construction on this line. I do remember that the CTA's Dan Ryan line and the Jefferson Park and O'Hare extensions were built (and rebuilt) without major tie-ups on the expressways in which they were built.
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