PORT AUTHORITY 2021 JULY FOURTH HOLIDAY TRAVEL ADVISORY
More than 4.4 Million Expected to Fly or Drive as Summer Travel Season Gets Underway
Non-Emergency Construction Work Suspended at Port Authority Crossings over Long Holiday Weekend to Accommodate Increased Traffic Volume
PATH to Run Extra Evening Service on July 4 and Saturday Service on Monday, July 5
LaGuardia Link Q70-SBS to Operate Fare Free from Wednesday, June 30, to Monday, July 5, to Encourage Mass Transit Use for LaGuardia Airport Travelers and Employees
Reminder: Face Coverings Required in All Port Authority Facilities, Including Airports, Midtown Bus Terminal and on AirTrain
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey urges travelers by air, rail and road to pack additional time and patience this July Fourth holiday weekend when more than 4.4 million passengers are expected to use its facilities as the summer travel season gets underway. To accommodate motorists traveling between New York and New Jersey, non-emergency repairs and construction projects at the agency’s crossings will be suspended from 5 a.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Tuesday, July 2 to 6. The agency anticipates more than 1.1 million passengers will travel through John F. Kennedy International, Newark Liberty International, LaGuardia and New York Stewart International airports from Thursday through Monday, July 1 to 5. This estimate reflects the slow yet steady growth of the return of U.S. air travel, though this anticipated volume represents a decrease of more than 41 percent compared to the same holiday weekend in July 2019. At the Port Authority’s bridges and tunnels, as many as 3.3 million vehicles are expected to cross the Port Authority’s bridges and tunnels over the same holiday weekend period based on recent travel trends, which is an estimate similar to 2019 actual traffic volumes.
LANE CLOSURES IN EFFECT George Washington Bridge:
• At all hours, a ramp to the northbound Henry Hudson Parkway near the George Washington Bridge remains closed for repairs to a retaining wall. Eastbound motorists exiting at Riverside Drive or heading to the northbound Henry Hudson Parkway are advised to take the upper level of the bridge. Access to the southbound Henry Hudson Parkway remains unaffected. Westbound motorists are encouraged to exit at 181st Street off the bridge’s lower level for the Henry Hudson Parkway or Riverside Drive. Lincoln Tunnel:
• From 11 p.m. Saturday, July 3, to 10 a.m., Sunday, July 4, the right two lanes of the westbound Helix will be closed for priority roadway repairs. The left lane of the westbound Helix will remain open. Access to the westbound Interstate 495 Pleasant Ave on-ramp will not be affected. The exit ramps for both Muellers and Park avenues (Hauxhurst) will be open. New York-bound traffic will not be affected.
AIRPORTS & AIRTRAIN
• As a reminder, terminal access at John F. Kennedy, Newark Liberty and LaGuardia and New York Stewart International airports is restricted to ticketed passengers, airport employees, and those who otherwise demonstrate a need to enter the facility for airport business. Anyone entering a terminal may be asked to provide evidence of a reason for entry, such as a ticket, boarding pass, flight reservation or comparable item for a flight departing from that particular airport; an airport identification card (airport employee ID); or documentation that a person is a vendor, contractor or otherwise doing authorized business within the terminal. • TSA has implemented changes to the screening process at security checkpoints in an effort to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. For tips on preparing for an upcoming trip by air, visit the Port Authority’s Travel Tips & Information page. • COVID-19 tests are available at all three major airports. For information about test locations and appointment availability, visit the corresponding website for each airport: JFK, Newark Liberty, LaGuardia. • Through December 2021, AirTrain Newark’s P2 station will be closed for construction of the consolidated rental car facility. While customers currently do not use this P2 AirTrain station, minimal passenger impact is expected and supplemental shuttle buses will be available if necessary. • From 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, June 30, through 11:59 p.m. Monday, July 5, the Port Authority and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority will offer free LaGuardia Link Q70 Select Bus Service to encourage the public’s use of mass transit to and from LaGuardia Airport. • Beginning Tuesday, July 6, through Friday, Oct. 1, Newark Liberty’s Runway 4R- 22L will be closed as part of an $84.2 million rehabilitation project. To minimize operational impacts, the Federal Aviation Administration will redirect flight activity to the airport’s other runways during this period.
PATH • At all hours, the southwest entrance to the PATH Harrison station is closed to accommodate demolition work ahead of a renovation of the station. During construction, riders must use traffic signal pedestrian crossings at Angelo Cifelli Drive and Guyon Drive to access a corresponding station house on the opposite side of Frank E. Rodgers Boulevard. • On Sunday, July 4, from 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., PATH will operate extra trains between Newark and World Trade Center. • On Monday, July 5, trains will operate on a Saturday schedule. • Customers who use the WTC PATH station during overnights should use the entrances at Fulton Street or Vesey Street via the North Concourse in the 2 World Trade Center Transit Lobby. Oculus access is limited overnight from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. to allow for enhanced cleaning and the safety and security of customers due to reduced traffic volumes. All other entrances will be closed. For more updates on the WTC campus, click here. • As a reminder, the 9 Street and 23 Street stations are closed each midnight to 5 a.m. the following morning for maintenance. Nearby PATH stations at Christopher Street, 14 Street and 33 Street remain open 24 hours a day unless otherwise noted. • For information on PATH service and train schedules, visit www.panynj.gov/StayOnTrack or download the PATH mobile app, RidePath.
COVID-19 TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS
• As a reminder for any passengers or motorists traveling through Port Authority facilities, some restrictions and service changes remain in place to protect the health and safety of employees and the public. Face coverings continue to be required for anyone using Port Authority facilities, including PATH trains and indoor PATH stations; the World Trade Center transportation hub; the Midtown Bus Terminal and George Washington Bridge Bus Station; the Port Authority’s airports and on both AirTrain JFK and AirTrain Newark. In accordance with recently updated U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, masks are not required while waiting for trains on outdoor platforms at the following PATH stations only: Newark Penn, Harrison and Journal Square. Masks must continue to be worn at all other stations and while on PATH trains. • Domestic travelers entering New York or New Jersey should follow guidance from the health departments of their destination state. Click here for New York State, or click here for New Jersey. • International air travelers entering the United States through New York or New Jersey should follow guidance from the CDC, which is available here on the CDC website. Travelers may also contact their airline or use the CDC’s travel planner for details pertaining to their destination state, local, territorial, and tribal communities to make informed decisions, protect themselves, and reduce transmission before, during, and after travel.