Say Goodbye To Weekend PATH Service Between WTC, Jersey City In 2014

[Turbo19]

This morning, the Wall Street Journal made a shocking announcement related to the Port Authority. No, it wasn't another Bridgegate scoop—it was the revelation that the agency would be cutting all weekend PATH service between the World Trade Center station in lower Manhattan and the Exchange Place station in Jersey City.

The WSJ's story is mostly about how the Port Authority's $580 million plan for signal improvement will cost about $50-60 million more, "The rising cost is being driven in part by a decision reached in December, shortly after a fatal Metro-North train crash in the Bronx, to ensure that the 21-mile PATH train system complies with a federal mandate to install anti-collision systems by the end of 2015."

The PATH website has information about the shutdown, under the clever title "A PATH Forward": "Every weekend in 2014, beginning February 14-16 and excluding major holidays, PATH service will be suspended to and from the World Trade Center and Exchange Place Stations to allow the Port Authority to advance critical signal system work to meet the federal mandate of installing Positive Train Control technology by December 31, 2015, continuing security work, as well as ongoing post-Sandy repair and resiliency work. In addition to safety and security enhancements, this work will provide PATH riders increased reliability in the future, as well as laying the ground work for increased passenger capacity as early as 2016."
 


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[Missabassie]

Well, this really blows...

But I guess it's necessary.

[theaveragejoe]

Wonder if they plan on increasing weekend service to 33rd street?

[cl94]

I assume this is because of the same FRA mandate forcing the LIRR to install signals between Speonk and Montauk. The FRA regs require computerized systems that are more restrictive than timers and trip stops. I know they're also installing CBTC, so this is probably part of the reason for the shutdowns.

[qjtransitmaster]

Hello NJT ain't nobody got time for this.

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

Why can't they have ran the service directly to Newark from Manhattan like they did last year (overnight hours)? So much easier than transferring.

[cl94]

Why can't they have ran the service directly to Newark from Manhattan like they did last year (overnight hours)? So much easier than transferring.

 

If I were them, I'd run the Newark trains to 33rd Street. Makes absolutely no sense to force everybody to transfer at JSQ.

[Turbo19]

If you ask me I personally attribute the poor, rushed, and haphazard planning partly on the fact that PATH is viewed as second tier in comparison to other transit modes.

 

It seems as if PATH is underestimating the affects this will have on riders which to say the least sucks.

[Mtatransit]

Run NWK train to 33rd and another from 33rd to Hoboken. So people going to JSQ dont have to go via hoboken

[Orion VII 4 Life]

It's really best they do this now before the new WTC, Seaport, etc. open up. Now if they keep it up for the next few years then way to screw the area (and your own damn development) Port... 

[Cait Sith]

Why can't they have ran the service directly to Newark from Manhattan like they did last year (overnight hours)? So much easier than transferring.

 

They only did that because of Hurricane Sandy and service had a curfew at 11PM. The logic behind this is to have less trains traveling between the tubes, that way, they can get things moving in and out of smoothly with little to no disruption.

[Turbo19]

In short though this isn't helping PATH's perception of being little more than a joke.

[Cait Sith]

In short though this isn't helping PATH's perception of being little more than a joke.

On the flipside, PATH was not designed to be bigger than what it is to begin with.

[Turbo19]

On the flipside, PATH was not designed to be bigger than what it is to begin with.

I don't know. I'd beg to differ that the system could effectively serve a greater capture of riders, but it's with the PA, and that's not their responsibility.