Newark Airtrain Monorail

Big bucks getting bigger: Yahoo Finance

Newark Airport’s Train-Project Cost to Balloon Beyond $2 Billion

(Bloomberg) -- The long-awaited project to replace Newark Liberty International Airport’s train system has gotten even more expensive than its original $2 billion price tag.

The AirTrain EWR project, which is designed to replace the existing system that shuttles about 30,000 passengers every day at the airport, is facing “significant increases over the original $2.05 billion estimate,” according to preliminary bond documents provided by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey ahead of a $1.1 billion debt sale.

The bi-state agency that runs much of New York City’s air and seaports has offset the cost increases “through value engineering efforts, by reducing project scope or otherwise deferring or reducing spending on other capital projects,” the documents say, without specifying by how much the project will be over budget.
...

I wonder what is happening with PATHs planned extension to the airport rail station.

Allan wrote: ↑Sat Sep 16, 2023 8:12 am I wonder what is happening with PATHs planned extension to the airport rail station.

"“The (airport) Station Access Project is a separate project with a total project cost estimate of $125 million, which the board approved spending on planning in March of 2023,” Pietrykoski said." https://www.nj.com/news/2023/09/cost-to ... utType=amp

Shoulda extended PATH directly to the airport, with one station serving the 3 terminals through walkways. Or one station for each terminal. Or just use more buses.

GojiMet86 wrote: ↑Mon Sep 18, 2023 4:25 pm Shoulda extended PATH directly to the airport, with one station serving the 3 terminals through walkways. Or one station for each terminal. Or just use more buses.

It is my recollection reading that the passenger facility fees can be used to fund a significant portion of the monorail since it serves exclusively airport access, but a PATH extension is ineligible as PATH is not exclusively for the airport. "Passenger Facility Charge (PFC) Program allows the collection of PFC fees up to $4.50 for every eligible passenger at commercial airports controlled by public agencies. PFCs are capped at $4.50 per flight segment with a maximum of two PFCs charged on a one-way trip or four PFCs on a round trip, for a maximum of $18 total. Airports use these fees to fund FAA-approved projects that enhance safety, security, or capacity; reduce noise; or increase air carrier competition."

The new South Ward station will essentially just be a new access point (from the northwest side of the tracks, i.e. Frelinghuysen Ave) to the existing EWR platforms, is that right?

What I hadn't thought of until just now reading the above link and links in that is that if/when PATH ever makes it to EWR, south ward Newark residents will have a "one seat ride" to lower Manhattan, not just to Penn Station. I think it's great that NJT $$ are being spent for the locals in south Newark to have convenient rail access to job centers, not just those in the more upperclass suburbs.