Port Authority of NY & NJ: Olympian Spirit Celebrates Summer Games

Posted on August 8, 2016 by PANYNJ PORTfolio

By Portfolio Editor Roz Hamlett

Denizens of the 18th floor of 4 World Trade Center of the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey are celebrating the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games in the same spirit of an idea that originates with the Olympic Charter itself: “blending sport with culture and education, Olympism seeks to create a way of life based on the joy found in effort and the educational value of good example.”

 

Before the start of the games last week in Brazil, Patty Clark, Senior Advisor on Aviation Policy, had an ‘aha’ moment: what better way for the Port Authority to reflect the symbolism of the Olympics than to showcase the agency’s diverse staff on the 18th floor, which houses both the Aviation Department and the Office of the Secretary.  Her idea soon caught fire as numerous staff went to work to create the celebration.

“This has just been so much fun. Everyone wanted to be a part of the celebration,” said Nidia Abreu, who portrayed Carmen Miranda, the Brazilian samba singer and dancer, who appeared in Down Argentine Way, with Don Ameche and Betty Grable, in 1940. Nidia absolutely nailed the look of the Brazilian beauty, everything from the bangles she wore on her arms to fruits piled high on her head.

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Nidia Abreu as Carmen Miranda

The Port Authority festivities included a Parade of Nations and an Olympic-style Village with prizes for the best decorated cubicle, international food and staff members like JoJo Quayson and Frances Croffie, who dressed in the traditional costumes of their native Ghana.

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left to right:  Frances Croffie, JoJo Quayson, Executive Director Pat Foye, Maria Bordes, Sawmya Abraham and Rick Fernandez

“What a great way to celebrate the Olympics,” said Pat Foye, Executive Director, “This type of activity allows the Port Authority to connect and participate in a broad and unique way with the spirit behind the Olympics.”

Cubicles were decorated with colorful objets d’art, artifacts, airplane models, tribal drums, symbolic rugs and textiles, dolls, and pretty much everything you’d find in an international marketplace. There were flags from enough different countries to resemble a schedule board of international flights out of the New York region to Brazil, Ghana, Japan, Armenia, and every country in between.

Which, as a point of fact, is true. Port Authority airports provide the most international non-stop destinations of any other airport system in the world, an incredibly diverse range of destinations that includes 115 international cities and the broadest number of regions.  The airport system is the busiest system in the U.S., offering more non-flight stops to more cities aboard more airlines than anywhere in the world.

Many members of the U.S. Olympic Team flew nonstop to Brazil from Newark Liberty International Airport on United Airlines, which is serving as the official airline for Rio 2016.

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PATH: New Signal System Gets the Green Light

Posted on August 4, 2016 by PANYNJ PORTfolio

By Port Authority Media Relations Staff

PATH made its debut in 1908, and it’s been a sturdy and reliable source of transportation for countless riders in New York and New Jersey ever since. As with any 108-year-old, however, time takes a toll, and the system isn’t quite what it used to be.

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So PATH is turning to new technology better suited for 21st century ridership needs. Starting Aug. 6 and running through Dec. 19, the 33rd Street line from Hoboken along Sixth Avenue will be closing on weekends to enable installation of critical signal and communications upgrades. PATH stations at Christopher Street, Ninth Street, 14th Street, 23rd Street and 33rd Street will be closed when the project is active.

“This is an important moment for PATH, transitioning from a damaged system that’s outlived its usefulness to one that will provide enormous benefits for the riding public,” said PATH Director/General Manager Mike Marino, noting that extensive salt water and residual damage from Superstorm Sandy in 2012 corroded signals, switches and other tunnel equipment and metal surfaces.

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Flooding at the Hoboken PATH station

In the short run, the modernization program is bound to inconvenience some weekend PATH commuters, although affected riders will have alternate travel options to help navigate the closures. In the long run, it will bring PATH service up to speed, making the system more efficient, safer and convenient as ridership numbers continue to rise.

When the project is completed, the old “fixed block system” that tracked train location within a finite system block – an outdated process increasingly subject to costly repairs and maintenance — will be replaced by the technologically advanced Communications Based Train Control.

CBTC, operating with track sensors and computers, pinpoints the location of trains more accurately, allowing them to travel closer together while enhancing passenger safety and providing better tracking capabilities.  Trains will run more frequently, leading to shorter wait times and laying the groundwork for increased passenger capacity. Real-time information will be available in PATH stations.

In addition, the project features installation of Positive Train Control (PTC), a federally mandated upgrade that provides automatic override capability to control train speed and movements as necessary. It’s designed to prevent collisions or derailments. PTC must be installed across the entire PATH system by the end of 2018 as part of the federal directive.

“The new signal system is very important for PATH in these two aspects,” said Kevin Lejda, assistant superintendent in PATH’s Transportation Division. “PTC and CBTC will reduce human or mechanical errors and provide our customers with an additional layer of safety and reliability.”

Service will be suspended on the 33rd Street lines starting on Saturdays at 12:10 a.m. to 5 a.m. the following Mondays. For riders wondering how to get around the disruptions, PATH is restoring weekend service between Hoboken and the World Trade Center for the first time since just after 9/11, and free shuttle bus service will be available for riders from WTC to West 29th Street. For more information on the closings and alternate travel options, go to http://www.panynj.gov/PATH.

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Port Authority: The Lost Luxury of Air Travel

Posted on July 28, 2016 by PANYNJ PORTfolio

By Melissa Jerome, Tunnels, Bridges & Terminals Staff

Rushing out the door wearing my sneakers and yoga pants, I grab my duffel bag and head out to catch a flight. Once on the plane, I pop in my headphones before taking a two-hour nap until I arrive at my destination.  My plane lands on time, and there were no crying babies aboard.  Win!

Flipping through the Port Authority’s archive photos recently, it’s impossible to ignore how air travel has changed over the years from what began as a downright glamorous experience with passengers dressed to the nines for the occasion.

Terminal Crowd

During the “golden age” of air travel between the 1960’s and 70’s, women wore tailored dresses, hats, and gloves, while men were attired in suits and sported their best pair of loafers. Pilots and “air stewardesses”, as they were called, were more like movie stars than employees of the aviation industry. High-end designers with names such as Emilio Pucci and Jean Louis were hired to design fashionable uniforms for airline workers.

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Airplane flights were not just about transportation, but focused also on providing a luxury in-flight experience. And for good reason: a ticket could set you back an entire month’s salary. A one-way flight in 1955 from Chicago to New York was $55, which is about $495 in today’s dollars.  An exclusive new breed of wealthy travelers emerged that were known as the jet set.

Woman with hat

During this highly-regulated era, airlines were not allowed to set their own prices. This federal rule forced airlines to compete for customers by means other than the price of a ticket, including attractive and well-dressed stewardesses offering superb flight accommodations.

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United Airline menu card

For example, complimentary gourmet menu options on a United Airlines flight from New York to San Francisco in 1971 included Roast Long Island Duckling Montmorency and Broiled New York Cut Sirloin Steak with Bordelaise sauce. Cocktail options included Spanish Sherry, Old Fashioned, and United’s Very Dry Martini. The wine was poured and the meat carved right from the aisle next to your seat (which had tons of legroom, of course). That is the kind of dining experience I would dress for too. It wasn’t uncommon for planes to feature cocktail rooms with wet bars, and even piano bars.

The glitz and glamour of this era in air travel has been replaced by more efficient and reliable airplanes, increased airport safety and security, and more affordable flights. It wasn’t until the beginning of 1973 that the inspection of carry-on baggage and scanning all passengers became mandatory. Before that, passengers could board a plane just by showing a ticket…no ID necessary.

crowd outside airplane

After deregulation occurred in 1978, and airlines could set their own prices, the industry changed forever. New airlines were created, smaller airlines expanded, and fare prices dropped. Still, I can’t help feeling nostalgic for an era that I never experienced. Maybe the next time you’re getting dressed for a flight, you’ll take a little inspiration from the fashionable travelers of yesteryear and trade in your hooded sweatshirt for a cable knit sweater.

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