Plan To Replace AirTrain At Newark Airport Moves Forward

NEWARK, NJ — Port Authority officials released a draft environmental assessment for a plan to replace the AirTrain at Newark Liberty International Airport on Thursday.

Gov. Phil Murphy, who called on the Port Authority to fund a new AirTrain system in 2019, said the environmental assessment is a “critical step forward” for the plan.

“As we look forward to our post-pandemic future, strong and reliable infrastructure at our airports is of the utmost importance, and I am glad to see this project is progressing,” Murphy said.

The governor said the project has been a focal point since early in his administration.

According to Port Authority officials, the assessment didn’t find any “significant, permanent impacts” from the plan. However, there are three “potential, temporary impacts” that may arise during construction, officials said, noting that mitigation measures are in place:

• Airborne noise and noise-compatible land use (temporary construction noise)
• Vibration (temporary construction vibration)
• Socioeconomics/environmental justice (temporary construction vibration impacts)

The draft environmental assessment and an overview presentation are available on the Port Authority’s website for public review and comment until March 12. Learn more here.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the lead federal review agency. The FAA will issue its findings on the final assessment following the review and incorporation of public comments.

“As Newark Liberty’s frequent travelers know, the new AirTrain can’t come soon enough,” Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole said.

“We look forward to hearing the public’s input and advancing the project through the federal environmental review process,” O’Toole said.

Port Authority officials offered the following background about the project:

“The new AirTrain Newark will be a 2.5-mile elevated guideway train system and is a critical component of the modernization of Newark Liberty. It will replace the existing AirTrain, which opened in 1996 and is increasingly vulnerable to more frequent breakdowns and delays. In addition, the new system will be designed to maximize customer convenience with seamless connections to other forms of transportation and provide modern wayfinding, digital tools and amenities in AirTrain stations and in vehicles. It will connect to the new 1 million square foot terminal replacing the existing Terminal A, as well as the new consolidated rental car facility.”

According to the Port Authority, the AirTrain is crucial to daily operations at Newark Airport. In 2019, the line carried an average of 33,000 passengers per day, or about 12 million passengers per year. It provides access to the Northeast Corridor Rail Link Station and assists customers and employees transferring between air terminals, parking lots and rental car facilities.

However, Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton said the current AirTrain has “reached the end of its useful life,” suffering frequent breakdowns and delays.

“A modern best-in-class airport must have an appealing, reliable best-in-class rail mass transit link that will eliminate headaches during travel, not cause them,” Cotton said.

The AirTrain project is part of a larger campaign to “transform” Newark Airport.

The Port Authority has recently embarked on several capital projects, beginning in 2017 with the start of construction for a new $2.7-billion terminal to replace the existing Terminal A, and the development of a new state-of-the-art Consolidated-Rent-a-Car Center, which will accommodate several rental car agencies at one convenient location.

In 2019, the Port Authority added funding for planning for the potential replacement of Terminal B to its 2017-2026 capital plan.

• See related article: Take A Sneak Peek At The $2B Transformation Of Newark Airport
• See related article: How To Get Jobs, Contracts For $2.7B Project At Newark Airport

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