Port Authority to Handle 5 Million Travelers During July 4th Holiday

On Jul 3, 2019

With what will be a long Fourth of July weekend for many workers in the tri-state area, the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey estimates it will accommodate more than 5 million people traveling by air, car or rail between July 3 and July 7.  The agency is taking a series of proactive measures to ensure that travelers enjoy a safe and customer-friendly experience while using Port Authority facilities across the region.

Airports:

More than 2 million passengers are expected to use the Port Authority’s airports over the Fourth of July extended weekend, a projected 2.9 percent increase over 2018.

The Port Authority projects the following numbers of airline passengers will use its airports during that period: 982,000 passengers at John F. Kennedy International Airport; 667,000 passengers using Newark Liberty International Airport; 384,000 using LaGuardia Airport, and 9,600 using Stewart International Airport.

To handle the anticipated high volume of travelers, the Port Authority will staff the airports with Customer Care Representatives to assist travelers throughout the holiday weekend. Travelers should check with their airline on flight status before leaving for their airport.

In an ongoing partnership with the MTA, the Q70 LaGuardia Link bus remains free through September 2 to mitigate traffic to and from LaGuardia Airport.

Travelers should also plan ahead by leaving extra time to and from the airport, and checkwww.laguardiaairport.com for tips and the latest information on parking, mass transit and ground transportation alternatives.

For additional information on how passengers can streamline their trip through screening checkpoints, visit the TSA website: https://www.tsa.gov/mobile.

In addition, passengers planning to use Port Authority airports during the Fourth of July extended weekend can sign up for Airport Info Alerts at http://www.airportinfoalerts.com/. This free mobile subscription service notifies customers about weather delays and parking lot capacities.

Bridges and Tunnels:

The Port Authority projects an estimated 3.3 million vehicles will use its bridges and tunnels during the July 3 through July 7 period. The agency will have a full complement of toll collectors on duty to expedite travel through its crossings. With passenger traffic expected to be heavier than normal, motorists are encouraged to allow extra time to reach their destination.

All construction closings will be suspended at the Port Authority’s bridges and tunnels during the July 4 holiday period, from July 3 through July 7. Due to heavier passenger traffic at the Port Authority Bus Terminal, passengers are urged to purchase tickets in advance to avoid waiting in lines prior to their scheduled departure.

For the latest travel alerts, travelers are encouraged to download the CrossingTime app here:http://www.panynj.gov/mobile-apps.html. Travelers can also register for Port Authority Alerts atwww.panynj.gov/alerts, call 511 or visit  www.511NY.org or www.511NJ.org.

Motorists can receive alerts directly to their cell phones or e-mail accounts. Additionally, travelers are encouraged to download Waze, a free crowdsourced traffic and navigation application. The Port Authority will feed information on traffic incidents and any other events affecting traffic conditions to the Waze platform in real time.

PATH:

PATH will operate on its normal weekday schedules through July 3 with additional trains running on July 3 to accommodate passengers traveling home early for the holiday. On July 4, PATH will operate a Saturday schedule with additional service on the Journal Square to 33rd Street via Hoboken Line in the evening for passengers traveling to fireworks displays. PATH will operate a normal schedule on July 5 and regular Saturday service on July 6.

To accommodate holiday travelers, the PATH World Trade Center station will remain open this weekend, July 6-7, as PATH is suspending weekend tunnel repairs necessitated by Superstorm Sandy between the World Trade Center and Exchange Place stations.

For up-to-date service information, riders are encouraged to download the RidePATH app:

http://www.panynj.gov/mobile-apps.html. Follow PATH on Twitter at https://twitter.com/PATHTrain.

Riders also can sign up for PATHAlerts at www.pathalerts.com, which provides up-to-the-minute bulletins on PATH service changes.

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