If all goes according to plan, Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) may soon go from worst to first in nationwide rankings.
On Thursday, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced what it’s calling the EWR Vision Plan, which lays the groundwork for a massive redevelopment of the 96-year-old airport.
The plan contains three major redevelopment projects, including an all-new Terminal B, enhanced airside taxiways and redesigned roadways.
At this point, the EWR Vision Plan is still very much a plan, but it’s likely a harbinger of what’s to come for the airport.
“A modern, efficient, world-class Newark Liberty Airport is more than just a dream. We now have an actionable path forward thanks to this comprehensive vision plan. As the blueprint shows, we’re ready to take a top-to-bottom look at everything from terminals to roadways to taxiways as we build EWR into a best-in-class global gateway,” said Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole in a statement.
Here’s what the plan contains.
All-new Terminal B
Newark has one new terminal (Terminal A) that opened in January 2023, as well as two terminals that date back to the 1970s. Those outdated facilities — Terminals B and C — are in dire need of a face-lift, and the Port Authority seemingly agrees.
The EWR Vision Plan calls for a new international terminal to replace Terminal B. It also includes enhancements to Terminal C, which United Airlines, the anchor tenant, has already modernized in phases.
The Port Authority didn’t share any other details about the new Terminal B or the upgraded Terminal C, but it did say that “the spacious, streamlined terminals would allow the airport to accommodate continued growth in passenger volume, while leaving space for further expansion as needed.”
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New aircraft taxiways to minimize delays
Anyone who has recently flown out of Newark knows that the airport is prone to delays. That’s partially because of the complexity of airspace in the New York City region but also because of structural issues related to how the runways and taxiways are laid out at EWR.
To address that, the Port Authority wants to build a “more efficient and resilient taxiway network” that both supports larger aircraft and increases parking capacity and flexibility.
The revamped taxiways would also include additional deicing pads, allowing aircraft to push off from gates more quickly during the winter months.
Redeveloped roadways
Even if you’ve only dropped off or picked up a friend or family member at Newark, the odds are that you’ve sat in traffic along the terminal roadways.
That’s slated to change under the EWR Vision Plan, which includes a revamped network of roadways and terminal frontages to support more vehicle traffic.
The Port Authority says that “the roadway network would also be streamlined to reduce decision points and separate major flows with independent circulation for each terminal.”
Ongoing Newark enhancements
These three big initiatives join existing work at Newark. For one, the airport opened the all-new Terminal A early last year, which has since won many awards and commands high passenger feedback scores.
The airport is also replacing the existing AirTrain system with a new train and building new roadways at the airport’s train station to make it easier for locals and travelers to get to the transit center without riding the AirTrain.
It seems like the Port Authority is trying to turn Newark into the next LaGuardia Airport (LGA), going from one of the worst airports to one of the best in the nation. While that still may be a long way off, at least the plans are now formally in motion.
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