The work is slated to begin immediately with $30 million in renovations and restorations, with additional upgrades scheduled over the next five years totaling $160 million. The upgrades will be funded by the State.
The first phase of renovations will focus on aesthetics such as restoration of the classic benches in the waiting room, installation of brighter lighting, updating of the bathrooms, improved HVAC and air-handling, fresh paint and tile, and a deep clean of the limestone exterior to once again showcase the architecturally significant façade.
In the bus lanes, new lighting and improved drainage will improve the rider experience. And improved directional and way-finding signage will help make sense of this station’s labyrinth of platforms and hallways.
Longer-term enhancements will focus on improving the station’s openness, light, and overall commuter and visitor experience. A future goal is to make Newark Penn Station more of a destination, with added dining and shopping in the concourse.
Newark Penn Station is the seventh busiest rail station in North America and one of the busiest stations in the region. The station is served by NJ TRANSIT commuter trains, the Newark Light Rail, the PATH, and Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor services. The station also serves as Newark’s main bus terminal.
Opened in 1935, Newark Penn Station is listed on both the State and National Registers of Historic Places. The station was originally designed and still operates as an intermodal facility serving pedestrian, taxi, bus and private vehicle traffic generated by the more than 50,000 transit customers who use the station each day.