Terminal A at Newark Liberty International? Worthy of the acclaim — and the awards
it’s getting.
Terminal C? The updates it received a decade ago are still solid, but starting to show
their age.
Terminal B? The one no seems to use? Well, there’s a reason for that. And it may be
changing in the coming years.
Jacquelene McCarthy, the deputy director of aviation redevelopment at the Port Authority of
New York and New Jersey, spelled out all that and more last week at an Alliance for
Action event at NJIT that detailed the Port Authority’s historic $45 billion capital plan —
one that still needs to be approved.
Included in the $6.2 billion ask for Terminal B:
- A brand-new terminal footprint shifted westward, replacing the current central
terminal area with modern architecture and expanded concourses; - Elevated roadways and utilities rebuilt from scratch, untangling the spaghetti
of traffic patterns that now frustrate passengers; - Seamless passenger connections, designed so baggage claims and transfers
are well organized; - Expanded international and domestic capacity, anticipating growth an airport
that already has surged 40 percent beyond post-COVID projections.
The transformation of Terminal B, which opened in 1973, joins the already started $3.5
billion replacement of the AirTrain. Both are essential and overdue.
Part of the modernization will be a central heating and refrigeration plant constructed to
power the complex with energy‑efficient systems. The plant will ensure the Port’s
net‑zero roadmap is embedded in the airport’s infrastructure.
The alignment of the new AirTrain, which started in 2024, is designed to dovetail with
the Terminal B footprint, ensuring seamless pedestrian connections and weatherproof
walkways.
Of course, the phased opening of Terminal B, targeted for 2033, means the existing
terminal will need to limp along for nearly a decade.
The challenge, McCarthy said, is not just architectural but operational: The Port will need to
maintain passenger service while simultaneously preparing for implosion and
reconstruction. She joked about “duct tape” fixes.
Once both projects are complete, New Jersey will have a modern airport connected to
the state — and Newark — like never before.
McCarthy said art installations on cars built as much for comfort as transport, will make
them a cultural touchpoint, too.
“This is where we’re going to leverage our relationship with the community,” she said.
“When you’re on it, you’re going to know you’re in New Jersey.”
The Port Authority is also advancing the $160 million South Ward station access
project, a smaller but symbolically powerful initiative. Designed in‑house by Port
Authority engineers, the extension will cut travel times for local residents from 45
minutes to just 10.
It is a project whose impact on equity and access far outweighs its cost, McCarthy said.
Groundbreaking took place in May 2025, with operations expected soon after.
Port officials indicated last week that there has not been any noticeable objections to
their plan — which includes far more than just an airport terminal transportation.
McCarthy stressed that the Port isn’t taking anything for granted and always will proceed
with fiscal discipline.
“We have to make sure that whatever we do is financially viable,” she said. “We have to
be responsible with the money we’re given, if approved.”
