Journal Square is a PATH station located in an open cut that has been entirely built over by the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey to form a multi-modal transit hub between 1973 and 1975 called Journal Square that is in the Brutalist style. The station's name from its opening until this rebuilding was Summit Avenue. The Journal Square Transportation Center includes a 464 space parking garage run privately with a bus terminal for NJ Transit Buses on the first level. The Western ends of the platforms are covered in a concrete arch by the bridge for now named Kennedy Blvd that was built in 1926. The stop is a major transfer point and is where terminating trains from 33rd Street connect with through WTC to Newark trains, generally JSQ-33rd trains stop on the inside tracks and through WTC to NWK trains on the outside tracks.
The station has two island platforms for four tracks although there are a number of extra tracks around the station since it is the site of also a train yard. The platforms are modern and feel outdoors although the plazas have been built above them and there quite deep below street level. The distinctive feature on the platforms are silver columns with small squares saying the station's name Journal Square and signs dedicating the various tracks. Like at Exchange place there is a separate fare control area from the upper plaza for the elevators, a single one leads down to each platform. Non elevator passengers leave the station by going up one of two combined up escalator/staircases to a small mezzanine Just above the platforms that allows a view down to the platforms. On this mezzanine there are two separate banks of turnstiles, one on each side of the three escalators with a staircase in between two of the escalators that lead up to an intermediate level and daylight in the plaza above. This plaza includes access to the parking garage and bus loop along with some stores and an intermediate landing of the separate elevators. To reach the upper level of the plaza that is slightly elevated from the surrounding streets but provides the only access to street level are two more separate combined staircase/escalators that lead up. At the upper level there is a trying to look historic Port Authority Trans Hudson Clock and a bunch of old format black signs with the red logo signs for PATH.
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Last Updated: 13 February, 2013 |