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The PATH station in Hoboken, New Jersey, is on track to reopen on Tuesday (February 25) after a 25-day closure for extensive repairs and upgrades. The station, which closed on January 25, has been undergoing significant renovations to address damage from Superstorm Sandy and to update the nearly 117-year-old infrastructure. Crews have been working to replace old tracks, platforms, and staircases, as well as repair 4,500 feet of tracks and update switches and train cars.
The closure is part of a $430 million system-wide investment by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. According to NBC New York, the Port Authority chose a full-station closure to expedite the repair work, which would have otherwise required years of intermittent closures.
To assist the estimated 20,000 daily riders affected by the closure, PATH has been providing free shuttle bus service from Hoboken to the Newport and Exchange Place stations. NJ Transit increased the frequency of the No. 126 line, and more PATH trains have been running between Newport, Exchange Place, and Manhattan stops. Ferry services have also been expanded and cross-honored during the closure.
Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton stated, "We recognize that a full station closure is disruptive, but it allows us to fast-track extensive repair work within the station and critical infrastructure around it." The station is expected to reopen on schedule, with transit leaders confident in the progress made during the closure.