PANYNJ to replace fare gates at all PATH train stations

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey's (PANYNJ) board last week authorized $3.5 million to begin the planning for the replacement of fare gates at all 13 Port Authority-Trans Hudson (PATH) train stations.

The funding will cover the costs of the project's scope and technical specifications, preparation of project cost estimates and the procurement process for the new equipment, PANYNJ officials said in a press release.

The funding will expand the authority's existing agreement with consultant JHP, a partnership of Jacobs and HNTB, and cover related staff support services and station condition surveying. Planning will take about a year, starting in the second quarter.

PATH's existing fare gates are more than 20 years old, said PANYNJ Executive Director Kathryn Garcia in the press release. New equipment will help the authority address fare evasion, better accommodate riders and integrate tap-to-pay technology, she added.

Currently, PATH operates 341 standard and Americans With Disabilities Act-compliant fare gates across its 13 stations. The aging gates and related infrastructure frequently break down. Additionally, the rise in fare evasion at the gates in recent years has led to lost revenue for PATH, PANYNJ officials said.

Operated by the port authority, PATH provides passenger-rail service from New York City to neighboring communities in New Jersey.