THE BEATEN PATH: Learn All About the Weekend PATH Closures That Will Ruin Your Summer

You know all those marvelous plans you had that involved enjoying the cultural bonanza of New York City on weekends, now that the weather has changed for the better?

Cancel them. Cancel them right now…

Venturing from our side of the Hudson to points east will be complicated starting May 19, as weekend repairs to PATH stations will last through the end of October.

According to the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, “Positive Train Control (PTC) work and testing, making the system safer for riders, starts the weekend of May 19 and will resume July 7 through the end of October.”

Ha ha… NOPE.

These PATH closures are related to the “federally mandated upgrades” that stranded us on the Left Bank of the Hudson on weekends from August to Christmas of 2016—less than two years ago.

The Port Authority brazenly assures riders that it will have, “Full customer service plans in place; PATH providing free 2-trip MTA MetroCards to affected travelers.”

According to the plan, Exchange Place and World Trade Center stations will be closed during the weekends of May 19 and July 7, which will affect the Newark-World Trade Center lines. From July 14-October 28, all New York PATH stations from Hoboken to 33rd Street will be closed, impacting train schedules and service.

***UPDATE: Port Authority asked if we’d make the following clarification:
“The Hoboken PATH station will be open on weekends during this entire process, except for just three Sundays for PTC work—September 15 and 22, and October 13.

We are restoring direct Hoboken-WTC service while this project is under way on Saturdays. On Sundays,  travelers from Hoboken to the WTC will still have to change at Newport from the JSQ train.“***

“To ease rider impact, PATH is working with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to provide free 2-trip MetroCards for travelers affected by the closures. Customers will be able to pick up the 2-trip cards at designated points from PATH ambassadors. The special MetroCards can be used only during the weekend issued.”

All of this sounds like a logistical horrorshow—to the point where we almost feel bad for the onsite PATH Ambassadors… almost.

CLICK HERE for the entire statement from the Port Authority, or watch this disturbingly candid video on the fragile state and shortcomings of our “century-old” subterranean transit system.

“The Port Authority and PATH are working diligently to ensure we maintain the highest level of customer service during this period of system and safety improvements,” said Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton. “What this will mean in the long term is a far safer, more convenient and highly efficient system for all of our customers.”

“We’re aware of the inconvenience the PTC project will mean for so many of our weekend passengers, and we appreciate their patience and understanding as we continue this vitally important work to improve their travel experience,” said PATH General Manager Michael Marino.

Meanwhile, stay tuned to hMAG.com for cool things to do on this side of the Hudson… because we’re not even going to try to navigate all that unless we really, really have to.

Could be worse though—we could live in Brooklyn…

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