A major second phase of construction to upgrade the aging Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, NJ is underway with owner Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s newly announced plan to demolish and rebuild the facility’s 51-year-old Terminal B.
The project is a key part of the EWR vision plan for the airport that the agency unveiled on Oct. 17, developed with design firms Arup and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.
Neither PANYNJ nor the companies disclosed the cost or exact date of completion of the airport upgrade, which includes improvements to Terminal C and the expansion of Terminal A, which opened just last year after major reconstruction, and was named the best new airport terminal in the world by global airport rating firm Skytrax, PANYNJ noted in its announcement.
But the agency says the broad plan for continued development in the coming decades would accommodate passenger growth with facilities on par with the $8 billion reconstruction of LaGuardia Airport that began in 2015 and completed in 2022, as well as its current $19 billion John. F. Kennedy International Airport public-private project to rebuild and upgrade terminals and infrastructure, not to mention its $2.7 billion Newark Airport Terminal A project.
Terminals B and C and the original Terminal A at Newark Airport were built in the 1970s, along with much of the airport’s current infrastructure. Some of the oldest airport structures date back to 1928.
PANYNJ says it will begin a two- to three-year planning process next year to help formulate cost projections and delivery alternatives for the project before any construction begins. Construction procurement details were also not disclosed.
Apart from modern terminals and infrastructure, the agency says the plan includes improved road networks and taxiways to accommodate more aircraft and reduce delays. The agency also says the plan comes from extensive outreach to airport tenants, operating partners and the public to guide future growth.
Last year, a record 49 million passengers passed through the airport despite insufficient terminal capacity, congested roads and airside delays.
“A modern, efficient and world-class Newark Liberty Airport is more than a dream,” Port Authority President Kevin O’Toole said in a statement. “Now we have a path forward. As the blueprint shows, we’re ready to take a top-down look at everything from terminals to roads and taxiways as we build [Newark Airport] to become a premier global gateway and position it to continue to serve as a vital economic engine for New Jersey and the region.”
The phased plan aims to minimize the impact on airport operations while creating opportunities for local businesses, the authority says, while advancing its commitment to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The plan also incorporates ongoing projects, such as the airport’s AirTrain project to replace the existing system with an automated one and a new access point at the train station at Newark Liberty International Airport connecting to Amtrak and New Jersey Transit trains.
“Newark Liberty Airport serves as the gateway for millions of passengers,” said NJ Governor Phil Murphy. (D) said in a statementand adds that the redevelopment “will solidify [its] status as a major regional and international transportation hub … strengthen the airport’s role as a key economic driver for New Jersey and the surrounding region.”
