Transportation

Lower Manhattan's revitalization includes a transportation system that will need to accommodate a range of changes brought about by September 11, 2001, such as the creation of a memorial that will attract at least 5 million visitors a year, the transformation of the World Trade Center site, and the broader revitalization of Lower Manhattan into a community bustling with new cultural institutions and public spaces. Substantial upgrades to the area's rail, bus, ferry and street systems are key to retaining and growing Lower Manhattan's commercial base, improving visitor experiences, and raising the quality of life for residents and workers.

Projects Underway

• World Trade Center Transportation Hub and Fulton Street Transit Center
  A new Lower Manhattan transit complex will consist of two components: the PATH Terminal at the World Trade Center, and the Fulton Street Transit Center, located at Fulton Street and Broadway. They will be connected by an east-west concourse, extending under Dey Street between Church Street and Broadway. An underground concourse will link the new PATH terminal with the World Financial Center and the MTA's new Fulton Street Transit Center. Pedestrians will be able to access the Hudson River ferry terminals, PATH trains, and 13 subway lines.
  
  Construction began in 2005 on the new PATH terminal, a grand new gateway to Lower Manhattan. The PATH station transit hub is being designed by the world-renowned architect Santiago Calatrava, and will replace the temporary station currently in use. The building features soaring glass-and-steel "wings" that can be opened to embrace the sky on pleasant days. Natural light will flood into the cathedral-like interior, penetrating all the way down to the rail platforms, 60 feet below street level. The terminal will stand at the northeast corner of the World Trade Center site, and is destined to be a magnet for visitors in its own right, attracting a variety of retail stores and restaurants in the concourse and on surrounding streets.
  
  Work on the new Fulton Street Transit Center began in early 2005. The new station will have its main entry at the southeast corner of Fulton Street and Broadway. The project will untangle the maze of ramps and passageways of the station’s subway lines (/ , / , / / , and / / ), and provide improved signage and a significant amount of light to below street-level areas. The station will also be linked to the / line, and the line as part of the World Trade Center transportation hub.
  
  More on World Trade Center Transportation Hub »
  More on Fulton Street Transit Center »
  
  
• West Street Promenade (Route 9A)
  The tree-lined West Street will be built along the World Trade Center site and Battery Park City. The pedestrian promenade will ensure a more pedestrian friendly roadway adjacent to the World Trade Center memorial, and make West Street more amenable to commercial and residential development. It will also link the site physically and visually to the southern tip of Manhattan, Ellis Island, and the Statue of Liberty. At the southern end of West Street, the New York State Department of Transportation has already completed construction of "Promenade South", an open, tree-lined pedestrian area. The project includes a new plaza area, better crosswalks, a bikeway, and a u-turn for vehicles just north of Battery Place. In 2007, construction of the northern portion of the promenade will begin, between West Thames Street and Chambers Street. More »
  
  
• South Ferry Subway Station
  Construction of the new South Ferry Station is under way and will be completed in 2008. The completely redesigned station will accommodate a full-length, 10-car subway train, rather than the 5-car platform that exists today. The project will also correct other existing physical and operating deficiencies, reduce customer travel times, provide additional station entrances with ADA accessibility, and will offer a new free transfer between the 1 subway line and the R,W lines at Whitehall Street. The upgraded South Ferry Station will improve the commuter experience for passengers traveling to Lower Manhattan as well as for Staten Island residents headed for destinations in Manhattan. More »

Jamaica/Long Island and JFK Airport Access

New Tunnel Alternative Identified in Feasibility Study

In 2004, a feasibility study recommended a direct rail link from Jamaica to Lower Manhattan via the existing Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) Atlantic Branch and a new tunnel underneath the East River, with an intermediate stop in Downtown Brooklyn. The study recommended new train service from Jamaica to Lower Manhattan (leaving every six minutes during the peak periods) and a one-seat train ride from John F. Kennedy International Airport to Lower Manhattan.

In 2005, the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and NYC Economic Development Corporation initiated the Lower Manhattan-Jamaica/JFK Airport Transportation Project, the next step in the effort to rebuild Lower Manhattan’s transportation system. This project will ensure that the required environmental review is undertaken before construction begins.

For more information, see the MTA Web Site

2004 Feasibility Study

Overall Transportation Priorities

In April 2003, a set of priority projects to restore Lower Manhattan's transportation infrastructure and lay the foundation for the area's future growth was announced. A blueprint prepared by the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, in collaboration with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the Metropolitan Transportation Agency, the New York State Department of Transportation, the City of New York and other partner agencies, outlined strategies for creating a 21st century integrated system.

The blueprint, Lower Manhattan Transportation Strategies, addressed the steps needed to create a world-class regional and airport access system linking Lower Manhattan to Long Island and all three of the area's major airports, and revitalize downtown's antiquated and damaged transportation network.

Download 2003 Lower Manhattan Transportation Strategies report.