May Port Authority Board Meeting
Revenues still down; airport passenger travel up
The Port Authority Boar of
Commissioners held their May
meeting with a mix of cautious
optimism and continuing loss of
revenue.
Executive Director Rick Cotton
gave his overall report with
a combination of continued revenue
loss from PATH, and bridges
and tunnels but upbeat news on
airport redevelopment and improving
passenger traffic and
number of flights.
Executive Director
Report
Rick Cotton reported that as
the Port facilities move into reopening,
they all are operating in
a high safety and health standard
and under protocols of CDC Covid
guidance.
From the airport standpoint,
he reported that passenger volume
is down approximately 50%
from 2019 same time but an an
increase from previous months,
saying, “ all signs the volume increase
will continue. “
Sea and air cargo are up from
pre-Covid but Path ridership is
down 72% and modest improvement
and bridges and tunnels
down 5%. Compared to pre-
Covid. The Seaport has great
news with15% above pre-Covid.
volume. This coincides with air
cargo, which has had a strong
2020 into 2021.
These trends at airports are
welcome news but absolute
4 AIRPORT VOICE, JUNE 2021
numbers, except Seaport, continue
to add to revenue loss with
serious negative impact on Port
revenue. The several previous
months reported estimate of $3
bullion in lost revenue remains
firm. Cotton remarked, “In this regard
we advocate ways to offset
with specific focus on the infrastructure
package now being discussed
in Congress.”
On the Covid front, Cotton reported
the lowest numbers of Covid
positive tests and quarantine
while assuring all safety protocols
remain in effect at all facilities.
He and Chairman O’Toole
want all workers to know that
Port will assist employees in getting
vaccinated as they claiming
measured success as more than
50% of workers have had at least
the first dose of the vaccine.
Cotton also had good news
regarding activities at the airports.
On May 5, The Newark
AirTrain procurement selected
4 finalists to compete to design,
build and maintain the Newark
Replacement AirTrain with the
selection of a contractor by yearend.
This new 2.5-mile elevated
rail link is expected to break
ground in mid-2022 and will connect
to the new 1-million-squarefoot
terminal being built to replace
the existing Terminal A.
Additionally. At EWR, on May
12, Port sent RFPs to pre-qualify
cargo operators to lease, operate
and maintain 2 major cargo
buildings. This is a major step enhancing
preparation demand for
cargo space and services with a
premier competitive facility Cotton
said.
Continuing with good news,
a milestone and celebration was
held at LGA for the completion
of the passenger skybridge over
aircraft taxiways at LaGuardia’s
Gateway Partners’ Terminal B
connecting the arrivals and departures
Head House building
with all terminals on the Eastern
concourse. In addition to a stunning
view by passengers, this
new design allows more efficient
and faster aircraft movement, reducing
delays previous delays.
In addition, Port is anxiously
awaiting the Final Record of Decision
from the FAA to begin to
develop the AirTrain at LGA.
An issue that is being looked
into is toll evasion at Newark.
Some truckers are being aggressive
in evading tolls and costing
Port money Cotton said. The
Port is working hard on toll enforcement
and will report back in
near future.
In other news
Retirement of Two Port Board
Commissioners
The Board unanimously adopted
to express the appreciation
of the members of the Board
of Commissioners of The Port
Authority of New York and New
Jersey to Commissioner Richard
H. Bagger and David Steiner as
they retire from the Board and
David Steiner. O'toole and others
Board members expressed
O’Toole called Bagger “Perhaps
the most consequential
Commissioner in the 100 years
of the Port.”
During the meeting a few contracts
were voted into place:
Professional
Brokerage Services
Entered into an agreement
with Willis Towers Watson
Northeast, Inc. (“Willis”) to provide
professional brokerage services
for the placement and administration
of property damage
and loss of revenue, and terrorism
insurance programs for the
Port Authority and its component
units, for a three-year term,
commencing on June 15, 2021
and expiring on June 14, 2024,
at an estimated brokerage fee of
$1,613,631, with a Port Authority
option to extend the agreement,
subject to satisfactory
performance by Willis, for an additional
three-year period, commencing
on June 15, 2024, and
expiring on June 14, 2027
Electronic Tolling
contract
Entered a contract with Conduent
State & Local Solutions,
Inc. for the design, implementation
and operation of a replacement
back-office system for the
New York Customer Service
Center and for license plate and
owner identification services in
connection with electronic tolling
at the Port Authority’s bridge
and tunnel facilities, for an eightyear
period, at an estimated cost
to the Port Authority of $83.1 million,
inclusive of an allowance for
extra work; and (2) exercise two,
two-year extension options, at
an estimated additional cost of
$56.3 million, inclusive of an allowance
for extra work;
EZ Pass tag
distribution
Entered into a contract with
Faneuil, Inc. for the operation
of the New York Customer Service
Center (NYCSC) Contact
Center, and enter into a contract
with TransCore, LP for E-ZPass®
transponder tag distribution.
Drainage Outflow at
JFK
The Board authorized planning
and preliminary design work
for a project to provide backflow
prevention at 17 drainage outfalls
that serve John F. Kennedy
International Airport’s (JFK) airfield
electrical systems, at an estimated
total cost of $1.95 million.
The next Board meeting is
scheduled for June 24 in NJ. At
this time it may be a live meeting
according to their website. www.
panynj.gov
LGA’s outer roadway completed
Ribbon cutting marks early finish
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
and its partners from Delta Airlines and
the Council for Airport Opportunity held a formal
ribbon-cutting ceremony in front of the
Delta’s main arrivals and departures hall currently
in construction to celebrate the opening
of a new roadway network. The new roadway
network is opening six months ahead of
schedule, just in time for summer travel season
as passengers return to the skies.
The ceremony will featured remarks by
Port Authority and Delta leadership, and a
formal announcement of the Council for Airport
Opportunity’s LaGuardia Career Center
extended by four years to 2025 to continue to
help Queens residents with job placement at
the new LaGuardia Airport.
Construction continues daily and has
done so during the pandemic as funds had
been allocated as part of the Port Authority
capital plan. This milestone and that of the
completion of the pedestrian Skybridge bring
the airport redevelopment project closer to
completion.
Director of Auorptrts Development Hersh Parekh holds up enf of ribbon cutting as LGA GM Tony Vero, Delta Ryan Marzullo, Port
Executive Director Rick Cotton and Delta Government Affairs Patty Ornst do the honor.
/www.panynj.gov
/www.panynj.gov
/panynj.gov
/www.panynj.gov
/www.panynj.gov
/panynj.gov