A joint venture of Tutor Perini and O&G Industries broke ground on the $3.5 billion AirTrain Newark replacement project at Newark Liberty International Airport, according to an Oct. 7 news release.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said the 2.5-mile automated rail system will replace the outmoded AirTrain that opened in 1996. When complete, the new people mover will serve up to 50,000 riders each day and connect directly to the airport’s new Terminal A, according to the release.
The Tutor Perini and O&G team will design and build the elevated guideway that carries the AirTrain’s route, as well as three new stations that integrate with the airport’s future terminal network. Construction activity will keep future airport growth in mind, including plans to replace the current Terminal B, according to the release.
The current system will remain in operation until the new system opens, with a few intermittent outages over a 28-month timeframe, according to the Port Authority. Those service interruptions will exclude peak summer and holiday travel times.
Along with the JV team, the Port Authority also selected engineering firm Stantec to design the 70,000-square-foot maintenance and control facility. Other firms on the project include Doppelmayr, selected to design, construct, operate and maintain the automated people mover and its vehicles.
“Breaking ground on a new AirTrain system marks another milestone in the complete transformation of Newark Liberty International Airport into a world-class gateway,” said Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole in the release. “This project is about more than just replacing outdated infrastructure.”
For the project, the Port Authority requires contractors to engage a broad range of subcontractors under its good faith participation goals. For example, Doppelmayr, an international manufacturer of ropeways and people movers, must also develop a locally based workforce development program to hire participants for future operations and maintenance of the system, according to the release.
The Port Authority emphasized this aspect of the job despite the efforts of President Donald Trump’s administration to gut the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise and Airport Concessions DBE programs, which promote inclusion of women and minorities on federal contracts. Planning for other Port Authority projects are also moving forward at a time when the ongoing federal government shutdown could leave projects fully reliant on federal dollars stuck in neutral.
“This groundbreaking comes at a fraught moment: Republicans have shut down the federal government, hurting Americans across the country,” said U.S. Rep. LaMonica McIver, D-N.J., in the release. “But this project is an important one, right now maybe more than ever.”
The AirTrain Newark replacement forms a key part of the agency’s EWR Vision Plan, which outlines long-term redevelopment at Newark Liberty International Airport. Other components of that plan, in addition to a new Terminal B, include Terminal C enhancements and updated roadways.
The Port Authority expects the new system to begin service in 2030, according to the release.
