For the second consecutive year, PATH ridership through the first six months of 2012 is on pace to set a new record.  During the period January 1 through June 30, 2012, PATH ridership is about four percent ahead of last year's record pace.

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The annual record of 76.6 million passenger trips in 2011 was the most since the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey established PATH in 1962.  Through June of this year, PATH trips slightly exceeded 39 million, up from 37.6 million through the same period in 2011.  That puts PATH ridership on pace to exceed 78 million riders in 2012, which would represent an increase of more than 8 percent since 2009.

The increase in numbers follows Port Authority investments of more than $1 billion in the PATH system in recent years, including the purchase of 350 new rail cars, significant station modernization programs and plans to computerize the system's antiquated signals.

"The PATH rail system is a critical component of the Port Authority's interstate transportation network and we have invested more than $1 billion to modernize PATH's stations, trains and signal system to make sure it remains a preferred mode of travel between New Jersey and New York," said Port Authority Chairman David Samson.  "This continued record growth in ridership confirms our investment is working to attract millions of additional riders."

Among the stations showing the largest growth in passengers through the first six months of 2012 are Harrison, Christopher Street, 9th Street, 23rd Street, Grove Street and the World Trade Center.  Ridership rose 5 percent at the six stations in New York during the first half of 2012, compared with the same period in 2011, while passenger trips at the seven New Jersey stations climbed more than 3 percent.

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