Harrison station (PATH)

Harrison
Port Authority Trans-Hudson PATH rapid transit station
Harrison Station, at dusk.
Location Frank E. Rodgers Boulevard South
Harrison, NJ 07029
Coordinates 40°44′21″N 74°09′20″W / 40.739187°N 74.155425°W / 40.739187; -74.155425Coordinates: 40°44′21″N 74°09′20″W / 40.739187°N 74.155425°W / 40.739187; -74.155425
Owned by Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
Line(s)
  NWK–WTC
Platforms 2 side platforms
Tracks 2 (PATH), 3 (Northeast Corridor)
Connections NJT Bus: 40
Construction
Parking Parking lots and garages adjacent to station
History
Opened 1937
Electrified 600V (DC) third rail (PATH only)
Traffic
Passengers (2017) 2,588,267[1] Increase 3.7%
Services
Preceding station   PATH   Following station
Terminus
NWK–WTC
Former services
Preceding station   Pennsylvania Railroad   Following station
toward Chicago
Main Line
Terminus
Hudson and Manhattan Railroad
Terminus
Park Place – Hudson Terminal
Route map
to New York
to Journal Sq
Frank E. Rogers
Blvd
Passaic River
to Newark

Harrison is a station on the PATH system. Located on Frank E. Rodgers Boulevard (County Road 697) between I-280 and the Passaic River in Harrison, New Jersey, it is served by the Newark–World Trade Center line at all times.

Station layout

P
Platforms		 Side platform, doors will open on the right
Westbound ←      NWK–WTC toward Newark (Terminus)
Northeast Corridor ← Amtrak/Northeast Corridor Line/North Jersey Coast Line/Raritan Valley Line do not stop here
Northeast Corridor → Amtrak/Northeast Corridor Line/North Jersey Coast Line/Raritan Valley Line do not stop here
Northeast Corridor → Amtrak/Northeast Corridor Line/North Jersey Coast Line/Raritan Valley Line do not stop here
Eastbound →      NWK–WTC toward World Trade Center (Journal Square) →
Side platform, doors will open on the right
M Mezzanine Entrances/Exits, automatic ticket dispensing machines, one-way faregates
G - Street level

This station is technically located on the Northeast Corridor. It has two side platforms and five tracks.[2] Only the side tracks serving the PATH platforms have third rail power; the three center tracks, with overhead catenary wires, are used by passing Amtrak and New Jersey Transit's Raritan Valley Line, Northeast Corridor Line and North Jersey Coast Line trains.

The platforms have low tubular fencing along their extreme ends and a wooden canopy held up by metal posts toward their midsection. Each platform has its own entrance/exit to the west side of Frank E. Rogers Boulevard and there are no crossovers or crossunders.

On the Newark-bound platform, an opening leads to a roll-up store-style door to a small, modern fare control area with smart card turnstiles, installed here and at all other PATH stations in January 2005. Before then, passengers could take the short ride to Newark for free (trains discharge and pick up passengers at different levels of that station, so fare beating to New York was not possible).[3] These six turnstiles lead past a Ticket Vending Machine and another machine for two trip PATH MetroCards to a covered staircase. This staircase goes down to an intermediate landing where another staircase turns right and goes down to the street. A new staircase facing the opposite direction from the original goes down to a small plaza with bike racks outside the parking garage.

The entrance to the New York-bound platform is inside a 1930s brick building. It has a circular awning that covers two blue doors. Above this awning is a window to allow natural light in followed by a concrete etching of the Pennsylvania Railroad logo, and is a reflection of the Hudson and Manhattan Railroad former joint operated with the Pennsylvania Railroad between Journal Square (then called Summit Avenue) and Newark. Above this is a station's name and ornate clock Inside the building are two more doors at a split. These two areas lead to separate banks of turnstiles that lead to an enclosed staircase up to platform level, where there is a small enclosed waiting area with benches before doors lead out to the back of the platform. East of the station is the longest distance between any two stations on PATH.

History

Station entrance at street level. Note the Pennsylvania Railroad logo over the front door.

This embankment station, which opened on November 26, 1911 as part of an extension of the Hudson and Manhattan Railroad from Manhattan Transfer to the Newark–Park Place terminal. The station was originally located at the intersection of Fourth Street (now Frank E. Rodgers Boulevard South) and New Jersey Railroad Avenue.[4][5] It was moved slightly south to its current location in 1937 when the H&M was realigned to Newark Penn Station. While all traces of the original station are gone, remnants of the two-track line can still be found along Railroad Avenue. Both the former and current Harrison Stations were part of a joint operation of the Pennsylvania Railroad and the H&M operated under the legal name "Joint Service Electric Railroad", which required a separate or surcharge fare.[6] Beside H&M service, Harrison also served the PRR-owned New York and Long Branch Railroad line, which was partially owned by the Central Railroad of New Jersey south of Perth Amboy, and ran as far east as Exchange Place Terminal in Jersey City. Hudson and Manhattan Railroad was bought by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in 1962 and renamed Port Authority Trans-Hudson, but the 1937-built H&M/PRR depot remained intact.

Reconstruction

Looking east at construction of Newark-bound (westbound) platform and station, April 2017

The area around the station has been undergoing redevelopment since the early 2000s.[7] The first phase of a mixed-use development called Harrison Station opened in December 2011.[8] Meanwhile, the Port Authority began reconstructing the station in 2009. The $256 million project essentially rebuilt the station because the original structures's architecture could not easily be updated.[9] The station will feature longer and wider platforms to allow 10-car trains; street-level-to-platform elevators within the platform extensions, in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990; and architectural modifications to its appearance.[10] Funding for this project is provided by a portion of the March 2008 toll and fare hike, which increased the overall spending budget of the corporation. In 2011, the Port Authority began acquiring real property in preparation for construction.[11]

In 2012, a parking garage opened adjacent to the Newark-bound platform and the entrance/exit was rebuilt with a modern, glass walled enclosure. A new staircase facing the opposite direction from the original goes down to a small plaza with bike racks outside the garage. The major reconstruction was approved on March 28, 2012, and construction started in January 2013. The Port Authority had originally planned to finish construction by April 2017.[12][13] The start of construction was celebrated by Gov. Chris Christie, Mayor Raymond McDonough and Port Authority Executive Director Bill Baroni on August 16, 2013.[14] The completion target was tentatively moved to 2018, and settling a required right-of-way renewal agreement with Amtrak may delay the completion further.[15] Work on the station continued even in the absence of an agreement.[15] The renovation and expansion of the station will also accommodate large crowds of spectators taking the PATH for sporting events held at nearby Red Bull Arena, home of Major League Soccer (MLS) club New York Red Bulls.

References

  1. ↑ "PATH Ridership Report" (PDF). pathnynj.gov. Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. 2017. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
  2. ↑ Dougherty, Peter (2006) [2002]. Tracks of the New York City Subway 2006 (3rd ed.). Dougherty. OCLC 49777633 – via Google Books.
  3. ↑ McGeehan, Patrick (January 28, 2005). "Metro Briefing - New Jersey: Harrison: Free-Ride Loophole Closed". New York Times. Retrieved April 4, 2009.
  4. ↑ "Hudson & Manhattan Railroad / Hudson Tubes / PATH Trains: Bahnhöfe Stations". www.hudsoncity.net. Retrieved February 10, 2016.
  5. ↑ "Hudson & Manhattan Railroad Hudson Tubes PATH: A Short History and Description". www.hudsoncity.net. Retrieved February 10, 2016.
  6. ↑ "Hudson & Manhattan Railroad [Hudson Tubes PATH]: A Short History and Description Frameset". www.hudsoncity.net. Retrieved February 10, 2016.
  7. ↑ Martin, Antoinette (August 11, 2002). "In the Region/New Jersey; Harrison Planning Billion Mixed-Use Community". The New York Times.
  8. ↑ Fedschun, Travis (December 10, 2011). "First building in Harrison Station mixed-use development opens". The Jersey Journal. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
  9. ↑ "GOVERNOR CHRISTIE AND THE PORT AUTHORITY MARK ONGOING WORK ON NEW $256 MILLION HARRISON PATH RAIL STATION". www.panynj.gov. Port Authority of NY & NJ. August 16, 2013. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  10. ↑ Duger, Rose (March 12, 2009). "Harrison unveils $75M PATH renovation plan". The Jersey Journal. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
  11. ↑ "Port Authority Fulfills Commitment to Replace PATH's Entire 340-Rail Car Fleet" (Press release). Port Authority of New York & New Jersey. October 31, 2011. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
  12. ↑ "Harrison hopes upgraded PATH station will help welcome commuters with a grand new view". The Star Ledger. Newark. April 5, 2012. Retrieved April 5, 2012.
  13. ↑ Kusisto, Laura; Firger, Jessica (April 22, 2012). "New Jersey Town Bets Big on PATH". The Wall Street Journal.
  14. ↑ Machcinski, Anthony J. (August 16, 2013). "Christie cheers $256M Harrison PATH station, set to open in 2017". Jersey Journal. Retrieved October 16, 2013.
  15. 1 2 Strunsky, Steve (April 21, 2015). "Good and bad news for Harrison PATH riders awaiting new station". NJ Advance Media. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
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