O'Dea Campaign Unveils Plan to Fix PATH Chaos After Latest Meltdown

After yet another weekend of PATH train meltdowns left Jersey City commuters stranded on dangerously overcrowded platforms, County Commissioner and mayoral candidate Bill O’Dea is proposing a sweeping plan to tackle the chronic dysfunction of the PATH system head-on.

“Enough is enough,” said O’Dea. “Every few weeks, Jersey City residents are left in the lurch by PATH delays, service suspensions, or overcrowding that makes even standing on the platform feel unsafe. This is not just a transportation issue — it’s a public safety issue, a quality of life issue, and a development issue. We need real accountability and real solutions.”

O’Dea’s plan  includes both immediate relief strategies and long-term structural reforms. The topline proposals include:

• Requiring PATH capacity studies and mitigation plans for all large-scale developments near PATH stations.

• Conditioning zoning variances, PILOTs, and planning board approvals on developer commitments to help relieve transit pressure — whether through funding for shuttles, bike infrastructure, or PATH station improvements.

• Mandating Community Benefit Agreements (CBAs) that include PATH-specific commitments for major development deals.

• Working with the Governor’s Office and state legislators to ensure that New Jersey’s contributions to the Port Authority come with clear, enforceable benchmarks for PATH reliability and expansion.

• Using federal infrastructure funding as leverage to demand better performance and investment from the Port Authority.

• Incorporating real-time PATH service alerts into Jersey City’s official emergency alert system, so residents aren’t left in the dark.

• Creating a “last-mile” shuttle system for emergency action in partnership with NJ Transit or the city itself to provide direct, dependable access from Jersey City neighborhoods to Manhattan destinations. This would be a quick-fix solution that would transport stranded riders when the PATH shuts down.

Dan Israel, candidate for City Council in Ward E — which includes some of the city’s most PATH-dependent neighborhoods — applauded the plan and emphasized the urgency for action.

“Our residents rely on the PATH every single day, and right now, they’re being failed,” said Israel. “Downtown Jersey City is booming with new development, but PATH service hasn’t kept pace. If we don’t demand smarter planning, enforce developer accountability, and push the Port Authority to deliver, our neighborhoods will continue to bear the brunt of this neglect. I’m proud to stand with Bill O’Dea on a plan that puts Jersey City riders first.”