Newark Airport Rail Station Violated Disability Law, Feds Say

NEWARK, NJ — Changes are coming to the rail station at Newark Liberty International Airport that will help to protect the rights of travelers with disabilities, including people who use wheelchairs, federal prosecutors say.

On Monday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey announced a settlement with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which runs Newark Airport. The agreement resolves allegations that the airport’s rail station violates the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), prosecutors said.

The station is located on Martin Road in Newark, and serves passengers using Amtrak and NJ Transit trains along the Northeast Corridor.

Under the settlement agreement, Port Authority officials will have 15 months to modify multiple areas of the rail station, including physical modifications to multiple platforms, waiting areas and restrooms, prosecutors said.

The Port Authority fully cooperated with the investigation, federal prosecutors noted.

According to the settlement, some of the issues that inspectors found included:

• Wall-mounted ticket machines and display kiosks that project further than permitted under ADA standards, without cane-detectable elements below
• Some bathroom entry doors require almost more than double the amount of force to open as permitted under law
• Some bathrooms have toilet seats, toilet paper dispensers, soap dispensers, mirrors and hand dryers that are higher than permitted
• No Braille and raised letter sign identifying the station at several locations near fare gates, boarding areas and staffed kiosks
• No identification signs along some platforms, leaving onboard passengers unable to clearly see the name of the station when looking out the train car windows
• Some cords for wall-mounted passenger assistance phones are too short

“The Department of Justice upholds and protects the civil rights of all those who live in or travel through New Jersey,” Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael Honig said.

“Through the settlement announced today, this office removes a significant barrier that prevented people with disabilities from fully accessing a rail station that is a gateway to travel all over the world,” Honig said. “We welcome the Port Authority’s commitment to bring Newark Liberty International Rail Station into compliance with the ADA, and we will continue our work to ensure that no one is denied access to any of the rights and accommodations our Constitution and laws ensure.”

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com

Sign up for Patch email newsletters. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site. Don’t forget to visit the Patch Newark Facebook page.