2009 Year in Review

January 2009 – SIGNATURE WORLD TRADE CENTER RAMP REMOVED FROM WTC SITE
The year began with the first of many major milestones at the World Trade Center site – the removal of the 460-foot-long ramp that allowed 9/11 victims’ family members and construction workers to go from street level to bedrock at the site. The ramp removal allowed for the continued installation of steel for the National September 11 Memorial & Museum – which ultimately allowed a substantial portion of the plaza to be completed by the 9/11 anniversary, allowing victims’ families to walk on it for the first time.

Click here to watch the National September 11 Memorial and Museum take shape.

JANUARY 2009 – PORT AUTHORITY’S AIRTRAIN SYSTEMS SET RIDERSHIP RECORDS
The AirTrain systems to JFK and Newark Liberty International airports continue to prosper. In 2008, more than 6.7 million riders chose the AirTrain systems for travel to and from the airports, setting new ridership records.

FEBRUARY 2009 – PORT AUTHORITY’S AIRPORT DELAY REDUCTION PROGRAM MOVES FORWARD
Major components of the Port Authority’s $375 million airport delay reduction program began in 2009 and will be completed in 2011. The centerpiece of the program is a project to reconstruct and widen one of the longest commercial airport runways in the United States - JFK's Runway 13-31, which measures more than 2¾ miles in length. The magnitude of materials required to complete the job includes enough concrete cement to pave every National Football League field to a two-foot depth, and enough asphalt to equal the weight of six Titanics.

FEBRUARY 2009 – PORT RAIL BUSINESS MARKS MAJOR MILESTONE
The Port of New York and New Jersey's ExpressRail facility marked a major milestone in February 2009 by transporting its three millionth cargo container by rail.

MARCH 2009 – PORT AUTHORITY AND VANTONE INDUSTRIAL SIGN FIRST LEASE FOR ONE WORLD TRADE CENTER
Representatives of the Port Authority and Vantone Industrial Co., Ltd., signed the first lease for One World Trade Center in March 2009 to create the China Center, a unique 190,810-square-foot business and cultural facility. It will be located on portions of the 64th floor and the entire 65th through 69th floors.

MARCH 2009 – LARGEST CONTRACT AWARDED FOR WORLD TRADE CENTER TRANSPORTATION HUB
A contract was awarded in March 2009 for more than 22,000 tons of steel for the World Trade Center Transportation Hub - the largest contract awarded to date for the major transportation facility. The contract was awarded to DCM Erectors to furnish, fabricate and erect 22,305 tons of structural steel. The amount of steel awarded for the Hub project is equivalent to the entire weight of the USS New York (the Navy's new amphibious transport ship), or almost twice the amount of steel used for the new Yankee Stadium.

APRIL 2009 – PORT AUTHORITY POLICE ACADEMY GRADUATES 127 OFFICERS
The 111th class of Port Authority Police recruits - 115 men and 12 women - received their badges and joined the ranks of the department in April 2009. As part of a 26-week training program, the new officers underwent training in New York and New Jersey law, firefighting, firearms, first responder, defensive tactics, water safety, emergency vehicle operations and the latest antiterrorism techniques.

MAY 2009 – NEXTGEN ALLIANCE REGISTERED MORE THAN 300 AGENCIES, BUSINESSES AND ASSOCIATIONS TO CREATE COALITION TO MODERNIZE THE SKIES
The National Alliance to Advance NextGen, a Port Authority-led coalition of business, travel, tourism, civic, labor, education, airline and aviation officials created to urge full funding for initiatives to overhaul the country's air traffic control system and significantly reduce delays, has topped 300 member organizations.

NextGen is a state-of-the-art technology that is destined to reshape air traffic control systems and significantly reduce delays nationwide. NextGen which incorporates an advanced Global Positioning System (GPS) to help air traffic controllers move more aircraft with increased efficiency, needs a long-term, multi-year commitment from Congress.

The National Alliance to Advance NextGen can be found at www.panynj.gov/NextGenNow.

MAY 2009 – VICTORY FOR PASSENGERS
The Port Authority's longstanding efforts to thwart the federal imposition of flight slot auctions at New York-area airports paid dividends when new U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood ended consideration of the plan early this year.

The bi-state agency had argued flight slots would not help alleviate the nagging delays; rather it would reduce flights at airports which would decrease passengers travel options. We urged the federal government to fund the Next-Gen satellite technology as the best way to help reduce aviation congestion.

JUNE 2009 – GROUND BROKEN FOR NATION'S LARGEST TRANSIT PROJECT
Ground was broken in June 2009 for the $8.6 billion ARC mass transit tunnel project, which will create thousands of jobs and promote better mobility for the region.

JUNE 2009 – A GREENMARKET SPROUTS AT THE PORT AUTHORITY BUS TERMINAL
In June 2009, a Greenmarket opened at the Port Authority Bus Terminal.

The indoor weekly year- round Greenmarket is located in the North Wing, Main Concourse, at Eighth Avenue and 42nd Street. It is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. every Thursday and features fruits, organic vegetables, baked goods, condiments and other seasonal items from two local farmers.

JUNE 2009 – USE OF PATH’S SMARTLINK CARDS SURGES IN 2009
Use of PATH’s SmartLink cards surged in 2009, with half of the 240,000 weekday PATH riders using them. The success of SmartLink shows how the agency is using new technology to help make PATH more convenient and cost-effective.

Click here to learn more about the PATH SmartLink card.

JULY 2009 – PORT AUTHORITY LAUNCHED NEW PATH WEB SITE AND PATH TWITTER CALLED PATH TWEET TO BETTER SERVE ITS MILLIONS OF CUSTOMERS.
In July 2009, the Port Authority launched a new PATH Web site and a new interactive feature called PATH Tweet. The new web site allows riders to access schedules and destination information more easily and provides information about changes and upgrades to the PATH system, including the addition of 340 new rail cars. In addition to the electronic PATHAlerts that customers receive on their mobile device or e-mail account, passengers also can follow the agency's PATH Twitter account for service information, events, and other customer-service questions.

Click here to learn more about PATH and sign up for PATHAlerts or PATH TWEET

JULY 2009 – ONE WORLD TRADE CENTER STREET-LEVEL PLAZA TAKES SHAPE
In July 2009, the street-level plaza on the east side of One World Trade Center took shape following an all-night concrete pour, providing access to the tower’s first entrance.

It took more than 125 trucks to deliver the concrete to the site. Construction workers spent 14 consecutive hours pouring 1,250 cubic yards of concrete on the eastern side of the tower, bringing it to street level - the equivalent of six miles of New York City sidewalk.

Click here to learn more about WTC progress.

JULY 2009 – START OF PASSENGER SERVICE FOR NEW FLEET OF PATH CARS.
The first cars of the new 340-train fleet hit the tracks in July, kicking off the Port Authority’s modernization program.

The new cars also have state-of-the-art safety systems, including a sophisticated braking system, an on-board camera system and event recorders required by new Federal Railroad Administration regulations. The cars have three doors on each side to allow for faster loading and unloading; on-board news and information video; closed-circuit television recording capability; improved lighting, air conditioning and heating; prerecorded station announcements; better signs; and the capability for passengers to communicate with the crew.

The cars are part of PATH's 10-year modernization program, designed to turn it from one of the oldest mass transit systems in the country to one of the newest.

AUGUST 2009 – CONSTRUCTION CREWS INSTALL LARGEST STEEL COLUMNS FOR ONE WORLD TRADE CENTER
In August 2009, construction crews installed the largest steel columns to date for One World Trade Center. The 24 jumbo columns allow the initial floors of the tower to be built out. Each column weighs approximately 70 tons and each is approximately 60 foot long. The steel columns were transported from New Jersey over the George Washington Bridge to the site.

AUGUST 2009 – MAJOR CONTRACT AUTHORIZED TO ENSURE 9/11 MEMORIAL ACCESS BY 10TH ANNIVERSARY
In August 2009, the Port Authority Board awarded a contract to permanently brace the box that encloses the MTA's No. 1 subway line. This will form the foundation of the future extension of Greenwich Street, which will bisect the World Trade Center site. The contract will ensure public access to the 9/11 Memorial Plaza on the 10th anniversary of 9/11.

SEPTEMBER 2009 – GWB BIKE PATH GRAND OPENING
In September 2009, the Port Authority opened a new bike path linking the George Washington Bridge and the Palisades Interstate Park. The path allows bicyclists to ride across the bridge to Hudson Terrace and into Palisades Park safely, and takes advantage of amazing views of Hudson River Valley.

SEPTEMBER 2009 – PORT AUTHORITY COMPLETES COMPONENTS OF $600 MILLION EXPRESSRAIL PROJECT FOR PORT OF NY/NJ
In September 2009, the Port Authority culminated a multiyear effort to upgrade its port rail system that will allow 1.3 million cargo containers to be shipped by rail, taking approximately three million trucks off state and local roads. The agency finished the last major piece of that project -- construction of a second lead track to the ExpressRail Elizabeth facility that will allow trains to arrive and depart simultaneously.

OCTOBER 2009 – PORT AUTHORITY LAUNCHES NEW AGENCY WEB SITE
In October 2009, building on the Port Authority’s goals of providing a more customer-friendly experience for the millions of people and businesses that use its transportation facilities, the agency launched a new Web site. The web site highlights include: real-time alert system to notify customers of incidents and events at Port Authority facilities, the ability to find the quickest, most convenient way to get to a destination on mass transit using multiple agency transit systems, important travel information, including current weather conditions and multi-media platforms to better educate the public about Port Authority initiatives and projects.

NOVEMBER 2009 – CHICAGO THE MUSICAL CONDUCTS FIRST EVER BROADWAY PERFORMANCE AT THE PORT AUTHORITY BUS TERMINAL
In November 2009, the Port Authority Bus Terminal hosted a free performance of Chicago the Musical for residents, businesses and commuters in November. The musical performance built on Port Authority initiatives to better integrate the bus terminal into the local community, including the opening of a weekly Greenmarket.

NOVEMBER 2009 – PORT AUTHORITY CRACKS DOWN ON UNLICENSED AIRPORT HUSTLERS AT NEW YORK CITY AIRPORTS
In November 2009, new legislation signed by Governor Paterson toughened penalties for unlawfully soliciting ground transportation at the airports. As a result, the Port Authority worked with the Queens District Attorney’s Office and New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission began a crack down on unlicensed taxi drivers who hustle passengers at New York City’s two major airports.

DECEMBER 2009 – AIRTRAIN JFK CELEBRATES SIXTH ANNIVERSARY
In December 2009, AirTrain JFK, which connects travelers by rail to and from the airport, celebrated its sixth year in operation. Since its first year, ridership on the service has literally doubled as airport travelers learn that it is the quickest, least expensive way to get to and from John F. Kennedy International Airport.

Click here to watch a slideshow of the “Top 6” reasons why New Yorkers and visitors to the region alike have made AirTrain JFK such a success.

DECEMBER 2009 – WTC REBUILDING LAUNCHES YOUTUBE AND FLICKR SITES
Building upon the success of its www.wtcprogress.com home page, the Port Authority launched pages on both Flickr and YouTube in an ongoing effort to make the rebuilding progress more accessible to the public.

DECEMBER 2009 – WTC’S FIRST RESTURANT 160 FEET IN THE AIR
In December 2009, workers at the World Trade Center hoisted a giant shipping container that contains the serving counter for new Subway sandwich shop which will be open to serve ironworkers building One WTC. The Subway Container was lifted to the fifth deck of One WTC and will move up as the tower continues to rise. The subway shop will allow workers to eat their lunch in the tower without having to travel up and down for lunch.

Click here to watch a video.