PATH (rail system)

Construction

One of the original plans, with branches to the Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal (lower left) and the IRT Lexington Avenue Line at Astor Place (center).

The first tunnel, now called the Uptown Hudson Tubes, started construction in 1873.^[6]:14 The chief engineer of the time, Dewitt Haskin, tried to construct the tunnel using compressed air and then line it with brick.^[3] The workers succeeded in building the tunnel out by approximately 1,200 feet (366 m) from Jersey City.^[7]:12 However, construction was disrupted by a lawsuit,^[8] as well as a series of blowouts, including a particularly serious one in 1880 that killed 20 workers.^[9] The project was abandoned in 1883 due to a lack of funds.^{[3][6]:67[7]:12} Another effort by a British company, between 1888 and 1892, also proved to be unsuccessful.^[10]

Hudson tunnels shortly after their completion

When the New York and Jersey Tunnel Company resumed construction on the uptown tubes in 1902, chief engineer Charles M. Jacobs employed a different method of tunneling. He pushed a shield through the mud and then placed tubular cast iron plating around the tube.^[3] As the northern tube of the uptown tunnel was completed shortly after the resumption of construction,^[11] the southern tube was constructed using the tubular cast iron method.^[3][12] Construction of the uptown tunnel was completed in 1906.^[13]

By the end of 1904, the New York and Jersey Railroad Company had received permission from the New York City Board of Rapid Transit Commissioners to build a new subway line through Midtown Manhattan, which would connect with the Uptown Hudson Tubes; the company received the sole rights to operate this line for a duration of 25 years. The Midtown Manhattan line would travel eastward under Christopher Street before turning northeastward under Sixth Avenue, then continue underneath Sixth Avenue to a terminus at 33rd Street.^[14]

In January 1905, the Hudson Companies was incorporated for the purpose of completing the Uptown Hudson Tubes and constructing the Sixth Avenue line. The company, which was contracted to construct the Uptown Hudson Tubes' subway tunnel connections on each side of the river, already had a capital of $21 million.^[15] The H&M was incorporated in December 1906 to operate a passenger railroad system between New York and New Jersey via the Uptown and Downtown Tubes.^[16][17]

A second pair of tunnels, the current Downtown Hudson Tubes, was built about 1 ¹⁄₄ miles (2.0 km) south of the first pair. Construction began in 1906 and was completed in 1909, also using the tubular cast iron method.^[3][7]:18 The uptown and downtown tunnels both consisted of two tubes, which each contained a single unidirectional track.^[18] The eastern ends of the tunnels, located underneath Manhattan, employed cut and cover construction methods.^[19]

Opening

Park Place Station in Newark was the H&MRR's terminus until the completion of Newark Penn Station in the late 1930s.

Test runs of trains without passengers started through the tunnels in late 1907.^[20] Revenue service started between Hoboken Terminal and 19th Street at midnight on February 26, 1908, after President Theodore Roosevelt pressed a button at the White House that turned on the electric lines in the uptown tubes; the "official" first train had occurred the previous day, but was open only to selected officials.^[21][7]:21 This became part of the current Hoboken–33rd Street line.^[22]:2 The H&M system was powered by a 650-volt direct current third rail, which in turn drew power from an 11,000-volt transmission system with three substations. The substations were the Jersey City Powerhouse, as well as two smaller substations at the Christopher Street and Hudson Terminal stations.^[23]

An extension of H&M from 19th Street to 23rd Street opened on June 15, 1908.^[24] On July 19, 1909, service began between the Hudson Terminal in Lower Manhattan and Exchange Place in Jersey City, through the downtown tubes.^[25] The connection between Exchange Place and the junction near Hoboken Terminal opened on August 2, 1909,^[26] and trains started running on the Hoboken–Hudson Terminal line.^[22]:3 A new line running between 23rd Street and Hudson Terminal was created on September 20, 1909.^[22]:3 On September 6, 1910, the H&M was extended from Exchange Place west to Grove Street,^[27] and the 23rd Street–Hudson Terminal line was rerouted to Grove Street, becoming part of the current Journal Square–33rd Street line. A fourth line, Grove Street–Hudson Terminal (now the Newark–World Trade Center line), was also created.^[22]:3 On November 10 of that year, the Hoboken-23rd Street and Grove Street-23rd Street lines were extended from 23rd Street to 33rd Street.^[28][29]

The H&M's Grove Street–Hudson Terminal line was extended west from Grove Street to Manhattan Transfer on October 1, 1911,^[30] and then to Park Place in Newark on November 26 of that year.^[31] After completion of the uptown Manhattan extension to 33rd Street and the westward extension to the now-defunct Manhattan Transfer and Park Place Newark terminus in 1911, the H&M's track mileage had essentially been fully built.^[32]:7 The final cost was estimated at $55–$60 million ($1,498,000,000 to $1,634,000,000 today).^[33][34] A stop at Summit Avenue (now Journal Square), located between Grove Street and Manhattan Transfer, opened on April 14, 1912, as an infill station on the Newark-Hudson Terminal line, though only one platform was in use at the time. The Summit Avenue station was completed on February 23, 1913, allowing service from 33rd Street to terminate there.^[32][22]:7 The last station, at Harrison, opened on March 6, 1913.^[32]

External relations and unbuilt expansions

Originally, the Hudson Tubes were designed to link three of the major railroad terminals on the Hudson River in New Jersey—the Erie Railroad (Erie) and Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) in Jersey City and the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad (DL&W) in Hoboken—with New York City. While PATH still provides a connection to train stations in Hoboken and Newark, the Erie's Pavonia Terminal at what is now Newport and the PRR terminal at Exchange Place station were both eventually closed and subsequently demolished. There were early negotiations for New York Penn Station to also be shared by the two railroads.^[35] In 1908, McAdoo proposed to build an additional branch of the H&M southward to Communipaw, so that there would be a transfer to the Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal there.^[36]

When the New York City Board of Rapid Transit Commissioners had approved the construction of the H&M's Sixth Avenue line in 1904, it also left open the option of digging an east-west crosstown line. The New York and Jersey Railroad Company was given the perpetual rights to dig under Christopher and Ninth Streets eastward to either Second Avenue or Astor Place.^[14][7]:22 This option was never fully exercised, as the crosstown line was only dug about 250 feet (76 m); the partly completed crosstown tube still exists.^[7]:22[3]

There were also plans to extend the H&M's Uptown Tubes northeast to Grand Central Terminal, located at Park Avenue and 42nd Street.^[37] These plans were first announced in February 1909, and the openings of the 28th and 33rd Street stations were delayed because of planning for the Grand Central extension.^[38] The New York Times speculated that the downtown tunnels would see more passenger use than the uptown tunnels because, at the time, the city's financial core was located downtown rather than in midtown. The Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT) was a viable competitor to the H&M, as its Lexington Avenue line was proposed to connect to the H&M at Grand Central, Astor Place, and Fulton Street–Hudson Terminal once the planned system was complete.^[37] Its terminus at Grand Central was supposed to be located directly below the IRT's 42nd Street line but above the IRT's Steinway Tunnel to Queens. However, the IRT constructed an unauthorized ventilation shaft between its two levels in an effort to force the H&M to build its station at a very low depth, thus making it harder for any passengers to access the H&M station.^[39] As an alternative, it was proposed to connect the Uptown Tubes to the Steinway Tunnel.^[40] A franchise to extend the Uptown Tubes to Grand Central was awarded in June 1909.^[41] By 1914, the H&M had not started construction of the Grand Central extension yet, and it wished to delay the start of construction further.^[42][7]:55 By 1920, the H&M had submitted seventeen applications in which they sought to delay construction of the extensions; in all seventeen instances, the H&M had claimed that it was not an appropriate time to construct the tube.^[43] This time, however, the Rapid Transit Commissioners declined this request for a delay, effectively ending the H&M's right to build an extension to Grand Central.^[7]:55–56

In September 1910, McAdoo proposed another expansion, consisting of a second north-south line through Midtown Manhattan. The line's southern terminus would be located at Hudson Terminal, and its northern terminus would be at 33rd Street and Sixth Avenue, underneath Herald Square and near the H&M's existing 33rd Street station. The new north-south line, which would be 4 miles (6.4 km) long, would run mainly under Broadway, although a small section of the line near Hudson Terminal would run under Church Street. Under McAdoo's plan, the city could take ownership of this line within 25 years of its completion.^[28] That November, McAdoo also proposed that the two-track Broadway line be tied into the IRT's original subway line in Lower Manhattan. The Broadway line, going southbound, would merge with the local tracks of the IRT's Lexington Avenue line in the southbound direction at 10th Street. A spur off the Lexington Avenue line in Lower Manhattan, in the back of Trinity Church, would split eastward under Wall Street, cross the East River to Brooklyn, then head down Fourth Avenue in Brooklyn, with another spur underneath Lafayette Avenue. McAdoo wanted not only to operate what was then called the "Triborough System", but also the chance to bid on the Fourth Avenue line in the future.^[44] The franchise for the Broadway line was ultimately awarded to the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company (BRT) in 1913, as part of the Dual Contracts.^[45][46] The first section of the BRT's Broadway line opened in 1917,^[47] and that line was completed by 1920.^[48] The BRT was also given the franchise for the Fourth Avenue line in Brooklyn as part of the Dual Contracts.^[49] The BRT's Fourth Avenue line opened in stages from 1915^[50] to 1925.^[51][52]

In 1909, McAdoo considered extending the H&M in New Jersey, building a branch north to Montclair and Essex County. A route extending north from Newark would continue straight to East Orange. From there, branches would split to South Orange in the south and Montclair in the north.^[53]

Start of decline

The H&M saw record ridership in 1927, when 113 million people used the system.^[7]:55 The opening of the Holland Tunnel that year, coupled with the Depression that began shortly after, began the decline of H&M.^[7]:55[54] The later construction of the George Washington Bridge in 1931 and the Lincoln Tunnel in 1937 further enticed people away from the railroad, since these former passengers were now able to cross the Hudson River in buses and personal cars.^[7]:56[55] The Summit Avenue station was renovated and rededicated as "Journal Square" in 1929, and the Hudson and Manhattan Railroad Powerhouse in Jersey City shut down later the same year, as the H&M system could now draw energy from the greater power grid.^[32]:7

In the 1930s, service to the Uptown Hudson Tubes in Manhattan was affected due to the construction of the Independent Subway System (IND)'s Sixth Avenue Line. The 33rd Street terminal closed on December 26, 1937 and service on the H&M was cut back to 28th Street to allow for construction on the subway to take place.^[56] The 33rd Street terminal was moved south to 32nd Street and reopened on September 24, 1939. The city had to pay $800,000 to build the new 33rd Street station and reimbursed H&M another $300,000 to the H&M for the loss of revenue.^[57] The 28th Street station was closed at this time because the southern entrances to the 33rd Street terminal were located only two blocks away, rendering the 28th Street stop unnecessary. It was demolished to make room for the IND tracks below.^[58]

The Manhattan Transfer station was closed on June 20, 1937, and H&M was realigned to Newark Penn Station from the Park Place terminus a quarter-mile north; the Harrison station across the Passaic River was moved several blocks south as a result. On the same day, the Newark City Subway was extended to Newark Penn Station. The upper level of the Centre Street Bridge to Park Place later became Route 158.^[59]

Promotions and other advertising proved ineffectual at slowing the financial decline of the H&M. The 19th Street station in Manhattan was closed in 1954.^[60] The same year, the H&M entered receivership due to a consistent loss of revenue.^[61] It operated under bankruptcy protection for years and received a tax cut in 1956.^[62] That year, the H&M saw 37 million annual passengers, and transportation experts called for subsidies to help keep H&M solvent. One expert proposed making a "rail loop", with the Uptown Hudson Tubes connecting to the IND Sixth Avenue Line, then continuing up Sixth Avenue and west via a new tunnel to Weehawken, New Jersey.^[63] By 1958, the H&M recorded 30.46 million annual passengers.^[55] Two years later, creditors approved a tax plan to reorganize the company.^[64] During this time, H&M workers went on strike twice due to wage disputes: in 1953 for two days,^[65] and in 1957 for a month.^[66]

Takeover

PATH train at Newark Penn Station on September 2, 1966

The planning of the World Trade Center in the early 1960s enabled a compromise between the Port Authority and the states of New York and New Jersey. The Port Authority agreed to purchase and maintain the Tubes in return for the rights to build the World Trade Center on the land occupied by H&M's Hudson Terminal, which was the Lower Manhattan terminus of the Tubes.^[67] A formal agreement was made in January 1962.^[68] On April 1 of the same year, the Port Authority set up two subsidiary corporations: the Port Authority Trans-Hudson Corporation (PATH) to operate the H&M tubes, as well as another subsidiary to operate the World Trade Center. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey would have been bound under federal Interstate Commerce Commission rules if it ran the trains directly, but with the creation of the PATH Corporation, only the subsidiary's operations would be federally regulated.^[69]

On September 1, 1962, PATH formally took over operation of the H&M Railroad and the Tubes.^[7]:58[70] Upon taking over the H&M Railroad, the Port Authority spent $70 million to modernize its infrastructure.^[71] The Port Authority also repainted H&M stations into the new PATH livery.^[72] In 1964, the Port Authority ordered 162 PA1 railway cars to replace the H&M rolling stock.^[73] The first PA1 cars were delivered in 1965.^[74] Subsequently, the agency ordered 44 PA2 cars in 1967 and 46 PA3 cars in 1972.^[75]

1970s

The Hudson Terminal was located on the future site of the World Trade Center. As part of the World Trade Center's construction, the Port Authority decided to demolish the Hudson Terminal and construct a new World Trade Center Terminal on the site.^[68] Groundbreaking on the World Trade Center took place in 1966.^[76] During excavation and construction, the original Downtown Hudson Tubes remained in service as elevated tunnels.^[77] The new World Trade Center Terminal was opened on July 6, 1971, at a different location from the original Hudson Terminal.^[78] The new station cost $35 million to build, and saw 85,000 daily passengers at the time of its opening.^[79] At this time, the Hudson Terminal was shut down.^[80]

PATH arriving at Harrison, NJ on July 4, 1969

In January 1973, the Port Authority released plans to double the size of the PATH system.^[75] The plan called for a 15-mile (24 km) extension of the Newark–World Trade Center line from Newark Penn Station to Plainfield, New Jersey. A stop at Elizabeth would allow the PATH to serve Newark Airport as well. At the Newark Airport stop, there would be a transfer to a people mover to the terminals themselves.^[81] Preliminary studies of the right-of-way, as well as a design contract, were conducted that year.^[82] This 15-mile (24 km) extension was approved in 1975.^[83] However, the Federal Urban Mass Transit Administration was wary of the proposed extension's usefulness and was reluctant to give the $322 million in funds that the Port Authority had requested for the project, which represented about 80% of the projected cost at the time.^[84] Eventually, the administration agreed to back the PATH extension.^[85] However, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that the Port Authority's use of bonds to finance the extension was not permitted, significantly setting back the project.^[86] In June 1978, the extension, then estimated to cost $600 million, was canceled completely in favor of improved bus service in New Jersey.^[87]

Also in 1973, PATH workers went on strike due to union disagreements with the Port Authority.^[88] A strike had been avoided in January 1973,^[89] but talks subsequently failed and workers walked out that April 1.^[88] The 1973 strike had been caused by a dispute over salary increases that the Port Authority was unwilling to grant.^[90] Negotiations between workers and the Port Authority broke down as the strike extended past one month.^[91] The strike ended on June 2, 1973, sixty-three days after it had begun.^[92]

The 1980 New York City transit strike suspended transit service on the New York City Transit Authority (NYCTA)'s bus and subway routes from April 1 to 11. A special PATH route ran from 33rd Street to World Trade Center via Midtown Manhattan, Pavonia–Newport, and Exchange Place during the NYCTA strike.^[93] PATH motormen also threatened to go on strike during this time, but this was unrelated to the NYCTA strike. The special service was suspended during April 8, a Tuesday, because some workers refused to voluntarily operate trains during their overtime hours.^[94] On June 12, 1980, PATH workers again went on strike for the same reason as in 1973.^[95] The 1980 strike, the first since 1973, continued for 81 days. During the strike, moisture built up within the tunnels and rust accumulated on the tracks, although the pumps in the underwater tunnels were still operating so that the tubes would not be flooded completely.^[96] Alternative service across the Hudson River was provided by shuttle buses through the Holland Tunnel, though it was described as "inadequate".^[97] The 1980 strike, which ended on September 1,^[96] was the longest in the PATH's history.^[98]

1980s and 1990s

During the 1980s, the PATH system experienced substantial growth in ridership, which meant the infrastructure needed expansion and rehabilitation. The Port Authority announced a plan in 1988 to upgrade the infrastructure so that stations on the Newark–WTC line could accommodate longer 8-car trains while 7-car trains could operate between Journal Square and 33rd Street.^[99] In August 1990, the Port Authority put forth a $1 billion plan to renovate the PATH stations and add new rail cars.^[100] To help provide revenue, the Port Authority installed video monitors in its stations that display advertising.^[101] At that time, the Port Authority incurred a $135 million deficit annually, which it sought to alleviate with a fare hike to reduce the per passenger subsidy.^[102] By 1992, the Port Authority had spent $900 million on infrastructure improvements, including repairing tracks; modernizing communications and signaling; replacing ventilation equipment; and installing elevators at seven stations as part of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.^[103]

A new car maintenance facility was also added in Harrison, at a cost of $225 million, and opened circa 1990. On October 12, 1990, PATH's old Henderson Street Yard–a below-grade, open-air train storage yard at the northeast corner of Marin Boulevard and Christopher Columbus Drive just east of the Grove Street station–was closed.^[104]

On December 11, 1992, a coastal storm caused high tides, which led to extensive flooding in the PATH tunnels. Most trains were stopped before reaching the floodwaters, but one train became stalled near Hoboken Terminal.^[105] A 2,500–3,000-foot (760–910 m) section of track between Hoboken and Pavonia was flooded, as were other locations within the system. Some water pumps within the PATH system failed because there was too much water entering the system at once.^[106] The Newark–World Trade Center service was not disrupted in the aftermath of the flood, but the Journal Square–33rd Street service was forced to slow down because several spots along the route needed to be pumped out.^[105] Service to Hoboken was suspended for ten days, the longest period of disruption since the summer 1980 strike.^[106]

When the World Trade Center bombing occurred on February 26, 1993, a section of ceiling in the PATH station collapsed and trapped dozens.^[107][108] Nonetheless, the PATH station did not suffer any structural damage.^[109] Within three days, the Port Authority was able to resume PATH service to the World Trade Center.^[110]

In the summer of 1993, the Port Authority banned tobacco advertisements in all trains and stations. The Port Authority had earned $161,000 from these advertisements in the previous year.^[111] A new car wash for the train cars opened in mid-September 1993 in Jersey City, replacing the old wash on Track 1 at the 33rd Street terminal. The new wash was computer-operated, and was designed to reclean and recycle the water used in the operation. More space for the operation was provided at Jersey City, allowing the detergent used on the cars to have more time to take effect. At 33rd Street, brushes began scrubbing the cars very soon after the detergent went on. The new facility was designed to give about a minute to allow the detergent to work, helping better clean the cars. The project allowed the Port Authority to deactivate the car wash at 33rd Street, providing more flexibility in terminal operations at the station.^[112]

In April 1994, a new entrance to the Exchange Place was opened making the station ADA accessible. The new entrance was glass-enclosed and featured two elevators which led to a lower-level passageway 63 feet (19 m) down, from where another elevator went down the short distance to platform level.^[113]

On April 29, 1996, three trains began running express on the Newark–World Trade Center service for six months, cutting running time by 3.5 minutes.^[114] Weekend Hoboken–World Trade Center service began on October 27, 1996 on a six-month trial basis, and express Newark–World Trade Center service was made permanent the same day.^[115][116]

September 11, 2001, and recovery

The temporary World Trade Center station opened in 2003

Inaugural train arrives from Newark at PATH's temporary WTC station at 2:08 p.m., November 23, 2003, while passengers applaud its arrival

The World Trade Center station in Lower Manhattan, under the World Trade Center, is one of PATH's two New York terminals. The first station at the site, which replaced the old Hudson Terminal at the same place in 1971, was destroyed during the September 11 attacks, when the Twin Towers above it collapsed. Just prior to the collapse, the station was closed and any passengers in the station were evacuated.^[7]:107

With the World Trade Center station destroyed, service to Lower Manhattan was suspended indefinitely.^[117] Exchange Place, the next-to-last station before World Trade Center, was closed as well because it could not operate as a terminal station; the tracks could not turn back trains into the opposite direction.^[118] The Exchange Place station also suffered severe water damage during the attacks.^[119] A temporary PATH terminal at the World Trade Center was approved in December 2001 and was set to open within two years of that date.^[120]

Shortly after the September 11 attacks, the Port Authority started operating two uptown services (Newark–33rd Street, colored red on the map, and Hoboken–33rd Street, colored blue),^[121][122] and one intrastate New Jersey service (Hoboken–Journal Square, colored green).^[123][122] One nighttime service was instituted: Newark–33rd Street (via Hoboken), colored red-and-blue.^[122] In the meantime, modifications were made to a stub end tunnel to allow trains from Newark to reach the Hoboken bound tunnel and vice versa. The modifications required PATH to bore through the bedrock dividing the stub tunnel and the tunnels to and from Newark. This tunnel was known as the Penn Pocket, originally built for short turn World Trade Center to Exchange Place runs to handle PRR commuters from Harborside Terminal.^[124] The new Exchange Place station opened on June 29, 2003.^[119] Because of the original alignment of the tracks, trains to/from Hoboken used separate tunnels from the Newark service. Eastbound trains from Newark crossed over to the westbound track just west of Exchange Place. Trains then reversed direction and used a crossover switch to go to Hoboken. Eastbound trains from Hoboken entered on the eastbound track at Exchange Place. The train then reversed direction and used the same crossover switch to go to the westbound track to Newark before entering Grove Street.^[7]:108

PATH service to Lower Manhattan was restored when a new, $323 million second station opened on November 23, 2003; the inaugural train was the same one that had been used for the evacuation.^{[125][7]:108–110} The second, temporary station contained portions of the original station, but did not have heating or air conditioning systems installed. The temporary entrance was closed on July 1, 2007, and demolished to make way for the third, permanent station; around the same time, the Church Street entrance opened.^[126] A new entrance on Vesey Street opened in March 2008, and the entrance on Church Street was then demolished.^[127]

On July 7, 2006, an alleged plot to detonate explosives in the PATH's Downtown Hudson Tubes (initially said to be a plot to bomb the Holland Tunnel) was uncovered by the FBI. According to officials, this plan was unsound due to the strength of both tunnels, as well as various restrictions in both the Holland Tunnel and the PATH system. Of the eight planners based in six different countries, three were arrested.^[128]

Hurricane Sandy

At 12:01 am on October 29, 2012, PATH service was suspended system-wide in advance of Hurricane Sandy. The following day, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie stated that PATH train service would be out for 7–10 days as a result of the damage caused by the hurricane.^[129] Storm surge from the hurricane caused significant flooding to PATH train stations in Hoboken and Jersey City, as well as at the World Trade Center.^[129] An image captured from a PATH security camera showing the ingress of water at Hoboken at 8:23 p.m. on October 29, quickly spread across the Internet and became one of several representative images from the hurricane.^[130]

The first revenue PATH trains after the hurricane were the Journal Square–33rd Street service, which recommenced on November 6 and ran only during the daytime.^[131] Service was extended west to Harrison and Newark on November 12, in place of the Newark–World Trade Center service. Christopher Street and 9th Street were reopened during the weekend of November 17–18, but remained closed for the following five weekdays.^[132] Normal weekday service on the Newark–World Trade Center and Journal Square–33rd Street lines resumed on November 26. On weekends, trains operated using the Newark–33rd Street service pattern.^[133]

The Hoboken station suffered major damage after as much as eight feet (2.4 m) of water submerged the tunnels, and had to stay closed for several weeks for $300 million worth of renovations.^[134] The Newark–33rd Street route was suspended for two weekends in mid-December, with the Newark–World Trade Center running in its place, in order to expedite the return of Hoboken service.^[135] As a result, Hoboken Terminal reopened on December 19 for weekday daytime Hoboken–33rd Street service,^[136] followed by the resumption of weekday 24-hour PATH service on January 9, 2013.^[137][138] The Hoboken–World Trade Center trains resumed on January 29, and the pre-Hurricane Sandy service patterns were restored by the weekend of March 1.^[139][140]

2010s improvements

The completed World Trade Center Transportation Hub in September 2016

The construction of the permanent four-platform World Trade Center Transportation Hub started in July 2008, when the first prefabricated "ribs" for the pedestrian walkway under Fulton Street were installed on the site.^[141] Platform A, the first platform of the permanent station, opened February 25, 2014, serving Hoboken-bound riders.^[142] Platform B and the remaining half of Platform A opened a year later on May 7, 2015.^[143][144] The Oculus headhouse partially opened to the public on March 3, 2016, marking the opening of the hub.^{[145][146][147]} Platforms C and D, the last two platforms in the station, were opened on September 8 of that year.^[148][144]

In January 2010, Siemens announced that PATH would be spending $321 million to upgrade its signal system to use communications-based train control (CBTC), using Siemens' Trainguard MT CBTC, to accommodate anticipated growth in ridership.^[149] The CBTC system would replace a fixed-block signaling system, which involved signals placed beside the track and was four decades old at the time.^[150] The system would reduce the headway time between trains, so that more trains could run during rush hours, reducing passenger wait times. Trainguard MT CBTC would equip the tracks and 130 of the 340 PA5 cars being constructed by Kawasaki Railcar. The goal was to increase passenger capacity from the current 240,000 passengers to 290,000 passengers per day. The entire system was originally expected to become operational in 2017.^[149][151] The entire initial order of 340 PA5 cars was completed in 2011.^[152] An additional 60 PA5 cars were purchased in two subsequent optional orders.^[153] In conjunction with the CBTC upgrade, the Port Authority spent $659 million to upgrade thirteen platforms on the Newark–World Trade Center line so that they could accommodate 10-car trains; prior to the upgrade, the line could only run eight-car-long trains.^[154]

The Federal Railroad Administration also mandated that all railroads in the United States have positive train control, another railroad safety system, installed on their trackage by December 31, 2018. The installation of this system on the PATH was done concurrently with the installation of the CBTC signaling system, and by 2017, the PATH was ahead of schedule on its installation of positive train control.^[155] The Newark–World Trade Center line west of Journal Square was converted to positive train control operation in April 2018, followed by the segments of track east and west of Journal Square in May 2018. This led to delays across the entire system when conductors had to slow down and manually adjust their trains to switch between the two signaling systems. Positive train control would be tested on the Uptown Hudson Tubes from July to October 2018, and the entire system would be converted by December.^[150]

Newark Airport extension proposals

In the mid-2000s, a Newark Airport extension was again considered as the Port Authority allocated $31 million to conduct a feasibility study of extending PATH two miles (3.2 km) from Newark Penn Station.^[156] In September 2012, it was announced that work would commence on the study.^[157] The study estimated in 2004 the cost of the extension at $500 million.^[158] On September 11, 2013, Crain's reported that New Jersey Governor Chris Christie would publicly support the PATH extension; its estimated cost grew to $1 billion.^[159] The governor asked that the airport's largest operator, United Airlines, consider flying to Atlantic City International Airport as an enticement to further the project.^[160]

On February 4, 2014, the Port Authority proposed a 10-year capital plan that included the PATH extension to Newark Liberty International Airport Station. The Board of Commissioners approved the Capital Plan, including the airport extension, on February 19, 2014.^{[161][162][163]} Plans include a planned $1.5 billion PATH extension to Newark Liberty International Airport. The alignment will follow the existing Northeast Corridor approximately one mile further south to the Newark Airport station, where a connection to AirTrain Newark is available.^[164] At the time, construction was expected to begin in 2018 and last five years.^[165] However, in late 2014, there were calls for reconsideration of Port Authority funding priorities. The PATH extension followed the route of existing Manhattan-to-Newark Airport train service (on NJ Transit's Northeast Corridor Line and North Jersey Coast Line as well as Amtrak's Keystone Service and Northeast Regional). On the other hand, there was no funding for either the Gateway Tunnel, a pair of commuter train tunnels that would supplement the North River Tunnels under the Hudson River, or the replacement of the aging and overcrowded Port Authority Bus Terminal.^[166] In December 2014, the PANYNJ awarded a three-year, $6 million contract to HNTB to perform cost analysis on the Newark Airport extension.^[167]

On January 11, 2017, the PANYNJ released its 10-year capital plan that included $1.7 billion for the extension. Under the updated plan, construction was projected to start in 2020, with service in 2026.^[168][169] Two public meetings on the project were held in early December 2017.^[170] According to a presentation shown at these meetings, the new PATH station would include a park-and-ride lot as well as a new entrance to the station from the nearby Dayton neighborhood.^[171]

Tier-based fares

The H&M formerly used a tier-based fare system where a different fare was paid based on where the passenger was traveling. For instance, prior to September 1961, an interstate fare to or from all stations except Newark Penn Station cost 25 cents, while an intrastate fare cost 15 cents. That month, the interstate fare was increased to 30 cents, and the intrastate fare to 20 cents. A fare to or from Newark Penn, regardless of the origin or destination point, was 40 cents because the station's operations were shared with the Pennsylvania Railroad at the time.^[191] Under Port Authority operation, the PATH fare to and from Newark was lowered in 1966, standardizing the interstate fare to 30 cents.^[192] The intrastate fare of 15 cents was doubled in 1970, effectively standardizing the fare for all trips to a flat rate of 30 cents.^[193]

Tokens

PATH fares were paid with brass tokens starting in 1965. The Port Authority ordered 1 million tokens in 1962 and bought a half-million more in 1967. The Port Authority discontinued the sale of tokens in 1971 as a cost-cutting measure, since it cost $900,000 a year to maintain the token fare system. The agency replaced 175 turnstiles in the PATH's 13 stations with new turnstiles that accepted the 30-cent fare in exact change.^[194]

QuickCards

A PATH fare was formerly payable with a paper ticket called the QuickCard. QuickCards, introduced in June 1990,^[195] were only valid on the PATH system. They were magnetic stripe cards wherein the fare information is stored on a magnetic stripe on the front of the card.^[196][197]

The QuickCard was phased out in 2008 with the introduction of the SmartLink.^[198] QuickCard sales ceased at most PATH stations in early 2008; at NJ Transit ticket machines in NJ Transit stations since November 30, 2008; and at ticket machines in major PATH transfer stations since December 31, 2008.^[199][200] By late 2008, PATH had completed the deactivation of all turnstiles that accepted cash (in addition to the QuickCard, MetroCard and SmartLink card). These turnstiles continued to accept the various cards as fare payment.^[200]

After the QuickCard was discontinued, it was replaced by SmartLink Gray, a non-refillable, disposable version of the SmartLink card. This card was sold at selected newsstand vendors and was available in 10, 20 and 40 trip increments. Unlike regular SmartLink cards, SmartLink Gray cards had expiration dates. SmartLink Gray was itself discontinued in January 2016.^[201]

SmartLink

The PATH's official method of fare payment is a smart card known as SmartLink. The SmartLink was developed at a cost of $73 million, and initially was intended as a regional smart card that could be deployed on transit systems throughout the New York metropolitan area.^[196] The rollout of the SmartLink started in July 2007 when it was first made available at the World Trade Center.^[202] The SmartLink can be connected to an online web account system allowing a cardholder to register the card and monitor its usage. The SmartLink allows for an automatic replenishment system linked to a credit card account, wherein the card balance is automatically refilled upon reaching a threshold of 5 trips remaining (for multiple-trip cards) or 5 days remaining (for unlimited-ride cards).^[203]

MetroCard

SmartLink turnstiles at the WTC station accept both PATH SmartLink cards and MTA MetroCards.

PATH fare payment may also be made using single-ride, two-trip, and pay-per-ride MetroCards, the standard farecard operated by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).^[204] The MetroCard is a magnetic stripe card, like the now defunct QuickCard. PATH riders paying their fare using MetroCard insert the card into a slot at the front of the turnstile, which reads the card and presents the MetroCard to the rider at a slot on the top of the same turnstile.^[205] Other types of MetroCards, including unlimited-ride MetroCards, are not accepted on the PATH.^[206]

Plans for using the MetroCard on the PATH date to 1996, when the Port Authority and MTA considered a unified fare system for the first time. At the time, the MetroCard was still being rolled out on the MTA system, and more than 80% of PATH riders transferred to other modes of transportation at some point in their trip.^[197] In November 2003, the Port Authority announced that the MetroCard would be allowed for use on the PATH starting the following year.^[125] The Port Authority started implementing the MetroCard on the PATH in 2005, installing new fare collection turnstiles at all PATH stations. These turnstiles allowed passengers to pay their fare with a PATH QuickCard or an MTA Pay-Per-Ride MetroCard.^[207] MetroCard vending machines are located at all PATH stations. The machines sell Pay-Per-Ride MetroCards; allow riders to refill SmartLink cards; and sell Single Ride PATH tickets for use only on the PATH system. There are two types of MetroCard vending machines: large machines, which sell both MetroCards and SmartLinks and accept cash, credit cards, and transit benefits cards; and small machines, which do not accept cash or sell PATH single-ride tickets but otherwise perform the same functions as the large vending machines.^[188]

In 2010, PATH introduced a two-trip card costing $4.00 using the standard MetroCard form. All PATH stations, except for the uptown platforms at 14th and 23rd Streets, contain "blue vending machines" which sell this card. The front of the card is the standard MetroCard (gold and blue) but on the reverse it has the text "PATH 2-Trip Card", "Valid for two (2) PATH trips only" and "No refills on this card". The user had to dispose of the card after the trips are used up because the turnstiles do not keep (or capture) the card as was done with the discontinued QuickCard.^[188]