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In an effort to ease congestion at Penn Station New York that was exacerbated by post-Sept. 11 altered traffic flow, New Jersey Transit March 25 opened additional stairs and escalators for early-morning riders six months ahead of schedule.



The two escalators and five stairways, which are part of NJ Transit’s $125 million East End Concourse project, will be open only between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. weekdays so that construction may continue when they’re not in use. The 50,000-square-foot, split-level concourse is being constructed at Penn Station’s southeast corner, and will comprise passenger waiting areas, train service monitors, rest rooms, expanded customer service and ticketing facilities, and an information booth.



Six additional elevators between platforms are slated to open later this spring, and a section of the concourse, which will provide passengers a wider exit area, would open in summer. The entire project is about 80 percent complete and is scheduled to open in September.