USA: An expanded metro station opened at Harrison, New Jersey, on October 30, serving the Newark branch of the PATH metro network which links Lower Manhattan with destinations across the Hudson River.
Harrison station serves a growing development zone just across the Passaic River from Newark city centre; this includes the stadium which is home to the New York Red Bulls franchise in Major League Soccer. The station was built in 1936 by the Pennsylvania Railroad, but the existing facilities were deemed unsuitable for modern needs. The PATH tracks are located on either side of the Northeast Corridor main line, owned by Amtrak.
The celebrations on October 30 marked completion of the first of a four-stage redevelopment programme for the station worth $256m. This covered renovation of the Newark-bound platform; subsequent phases will cover the renewal of the eastbound platform and extension of both to enable the operation of 10-car trains.
The centrepiece of the programme will be a landmark station building on the eastbound side, giving escalator access to the platforms and featuring an enclosed glass and steel design. The work is expected to be completed by the middle of next year.
‘This is a remarkable achievement for PATH, the Port Authority and the town of Harrison, and will mean a significant travel improvement for the many thousands of our customers whose trips originate or end at the Harrison station each day’, said Kevin O’Toole, Chairman of the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey.
