Port Authority approves $200M Newark upgrade

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey approved $75 million in near-term upgrades for Newark Liberty International Airport’s Terminal B on May 20, the first phase of a broader $200 million program for the 53-year-old facility. The agency said the work is part of its 2026-2035 Capital Plan and is meant to keep Terminal B operating while a replacement terminal is planned for the mid-2030s. Terminal B opened in 1973 and remains Newark’s oldest terminal, even as the airport’s wider redevelopment has centered on the newer Terminal A. Port Authority officials said the first package targets the parts of the terminal passengers use most often, including gate areas, restrooms, elevators, escalators, security checkpoints and signage. ### Why is Terminal B getting money now instead of waiting for a replacement? The Port Authority said the $200 million program is intended to modernize and maintain Terminal B until a new Terminal B opens in the mid-2030s. The agency approved separate funding in October 2024 to begin planning for that replacement as part of the Newark Liberty “Vision Plan,” which also includes broader airside, roadway and rail changes at the airport. (panynj.gov) In 2025, Terminal B handled about 11.5 million passengers, according to the Port Authority and ROI-NJ. The terminal was originally designed to serve about 6.8 million annual passengers, a gap officials cited as part of the case for both short-term fixes and long-term replacement. (panynj.gov) ### What exactly is included in the first $75 million phase? The Port Authority said the initial phase covers improvements to terminal systems, passenger queuing, gate-area work, security upgrades and replacement signage through 2027. The agency’s release also listed restrooms, elevators and escalators among the areas slated for upgrades in the first round of spending. (panynj.gov) Yahoo Travel, citing the Port Authority, reported that the full $200 million program will be carried out in two phases over three years. That report said the work is aimed at replacing and improving the terminal facilities passengers use most. ### How does this fit into Newark’s larger redevelopment? Newark Liberty’s redevelopment plan has already produced a new Terminal A, which the Port Authority says has about 1 million square feet of space and 33 gates. (panynj.gov) The agency has described the next phase as a top-to-bottom reimagining of the airport, with a new Terminal B expected to anchor that effort alongside a replacement AirTrain Newark and other infrastructure changes. (travel.yahoo.com) The Port Authority’s proposed 2026-2035 Capital Plan, released in November 2025, said it would fund a new Terminal B through a public-private partnership structure. The May 2026 Terminal B upgrade approval sits inside that larger capital program. (panynj.gov) ### What will travelers notice first? The most immediate changes are expected in passenger-facing areas rather than in the airport’s overall layout. The Port Authority said the first work will focus on queuing, security, gate areas, signage and core building systems, with initial improvements slated to begin in 2026. (panynj.gov) Recent local coverage has also come as Newark faces operational strain. NBC New York reported this week that passengers on multiple United Airlines flights said they were stuck for hours on the tarmac at Newark, though the Terminal B project is a capital upgrade program rather than an immediate fix for short-term delays. That distinction was reflected in the Port Authority’s timeline, which runs through 2027 for the near-term package and into the mid-2030s for a replacement terminal. (panynj.gov) ### What happens next, and when? May 20 was the board approval date for the first $75 million package, and the Port Authority said construction on initial improvements is scheduled to begin in 2026. The agency said the broader $200 million effort will unfold over the next three years, while planning continues for a new Terminal B that is scheduled to open in the mid-2030s. (panynj.gov)