PANYNJ unveils major plan to reduce delays on PATH trains

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) last week unveiled a $1 billion plan to increase capacity and reduce delays on the Port Authority Trans-Hudson (PATH) rail system by 2022.

The capacity increases rely on more than $1 billion in capital investment — the ongoing $750 million investment in a new signal system that enables PATH to run more trains per hour; a prior commitment of $215.7 million for 72 new rail cars that will be delivered in 2021-2022; and a new capital commitment of $80 million for station modifications to enable nine-car trains on the Newark-to-World Trade Center (WTC) line.

In addition, PATH has pledged an additional $50 million to delay reduction and customer service initiatives, PANYNJ officials said in a press release.

The plan includes conversion of the WTC line from eight- to nine-car trains running every three minutes during rush hours. A six-point delay reduction initiative will be implemented over the next 30 months and a new fare payment system will be introduced by 2022.

"By adding cars and trains, hitting back at the root cause of delays, and focusing on the customer experience, PATH will make monumental changes that affect the lives of the nearly 300,000 customers who rely on PATH each day," said PANYNJ Chairman Kevin O'Toole.

The plan aims to increase PATH's carrying capacity by 20 percent to 40 percent over the next three years — a goal that's "almost unheard of, but PATH is making that commitment," said Executive Director Rick Cotton.

PATH already has begun work to add two more rush hour trainsets on the WTC and Journal Square-33rd Street lines, optimizing between-train headways of three to four minutes on the busiest lines at the busiest times of day, PANYNJ official said. The shift will increase capacity by 10 percent on these lines by September.

By 2022, PATH anticipates an additional 20 percent increase in capacity on the Journal Square-33rd St, Hoboken-WTC, and Hoboken-33rd St lines and a 40 percent increase in Newark-WTC capacity as a result of a plan to accommodate nine cars on all Newark-WTC line trains and a new signal system which will enable trains to run more frequently.

In 2017, PATH invested $215.7 million in 72 new cars to add to the existing fleet of 350 cars; the first of the new cars will be put in service beginning in 2021. To accommodate longer trains, PATH has proposed significant improvements at the Grove Street Station, with a planned investment of $80 million to tear down existing walls and extend the existing platform.

The plan to reduce delays will address six causes: track conditions, switch failures, car equipment failures, signal equipment issues, sick passengers and unattended bags.

To enhance the rider experience, the plan calls for a new fare payment system that will be integrated with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's OMNY system, improvements to in-station, on-train and online alerts and announcements, and a platform crowding easement plan.