Fourth of July 2020 Holiday Weekend Travel Advisory

Passenger volume at Port Authority airports expected at or near historic low over holiday weekend

On Jul 2, 2020

To accommodate passengers and motorists traveling during the Fourth of July holiday weekend, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey today announced that all construction and repair projects at its crossings will be suspended beginning Friday to Monday, July 3 to 6.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and travel restrictions implemented regionally and around the world, the Port Authority expects volume during this Fourth of July weekend, traditionally a major travel holiday, to be one of the lowest on record compared to 2019, when the Port Authority estimated a total of 5 million travelers using its facilities during the holiday. During this upcoming holiday weekend, the Port Authority projects just over 300,000 air passengers through its airports from Wednesday, July 1, through Sunday, July 5, which will result in a sharp decrease of more than 84 percent compared to the same 5-day period last year.

In light of this drastic collapse in passenger and traffic activity and the resulting loss of revenue, the Port Authority is seeking $3 billion in direct federal assistance to offset the agency’s estimated revenue losses over the next 24 months and to enable the agency to move forward with its capital construction plan, which would drive the region’s economic recovery by supporting tens of thousands of good local jobs and more than $20 billion in private and public spending. For more information on the Port Authority’s request, click here.

As a reminder for any passengers or motorists traveling through Port Authority facilities this weekend, some restrictions and service changes remain in place to protect the health and safety of employees and the public, including:

• Face coverings are required for anyone using Port Authority facilities, including PATH trains and stations; the World Trade Center transportation hub; the Midtown Bus Terminal and George Washington Bridge Bus Station; the Port Authority’s airports and on AirTrain.
• A tri-state travel advisory requires travelers entering New York, New Jersey and Connecticut from states with significant community spread of COVID-19 to quarantine for 14 days. Essential workers and travelers with layovers in the tri-state area are exempt. More information is available here for New York and New Jersey.

Airports & AirTrain:

• Terminal access at John F. Kennedy, Newark Liberty and LaGuardia airports is restricted to ticketed passengers, airport employees, and those who otherwise demonstrate a need to enter the facility for airport business.
• All employees and passengers are required to wear a face covering over the face and mouth when inside the airports and on AirTrain. Vending machines and retailers throughout the airports will have face coverings for sale.
• Passengers should check with their individual airlines on any airline-specific health and safety protocols before leaving for the airport.
• TSA has implemented changes to the security screening process that reduce the potential for cross-contamination at the security checkpoint in an effort to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. More information available here.

Bridges & Tunnels:

• From 9 p.m. Thursday, July 2, to 5 a.m. Friday, July 3, two westbound lanes on the lower level of the George Washington Bridge and one westbound lane of the upper level Trans-Manhattan Expressway will be closed.
• From 9 p.m. Thursday, July 2, to 5 a.m. Friday, July 3, one eastbound lane on the upper level of the George Washington Bridge and one eastbound lane of the lower level Trans-Manhattan Expressway will be closed.
• Beginning 5 a.m. Friday, July 3, through 7 a.m. Monday, July 6, all construction requiring lane closures is suspended at all Port Authority crossings, including overnight closures related to the Superstorm Sandy repair and resiliency project at the Holland Tunnel.
• Cash toll collection remains suspended at the George Washington Bridge, Lincoln Tunnel and Holland Tunnel. Motorists with E-ZPass continue to have the toll debited from their prepaid E-ZPass account. For motorists without E-ZPass, an image of the vehicle’s license plate will be captured and a notice seeking payment of the toll will be mailed to the registered owner the vehicle. Motorists billed by mail pay the amount of the standard cash toll; no additional fees will charged. Any discount programs that require in-person administration by toll attendants are temporarily suspended, such as the carpool discount program.

Midtown Bus Terminal & George Washington Bus Station:

• Customers should check for the most updated trip departure times and itineraries with their individual bus carriers, some of which may be operating holiday service or reduced schedules.

PATH:

• PATH service will operate on a regular weekday schedule on Friday, July 3, and Saturday and Sunday schedules on Saturday, July 4 and Sunday, July 5, respectively. For additional information on PATH service and train schedules, visit www.panynj.gov/StayOnTrack or download the PATH mobile app, RidePath.
• As a reminder, the 9th Street and 23rd Street stations are closed overnights from midnight to 5 a.m. for maintenance. Nearby PATH stations at Christopher Street, 14th Street and 33rd Street remain open 24 hours a day unless otherwise noted.

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