Readying part of the World Trade Center memorial in time for its Sept. 11 debut is driving much of the project's construction sequencing. At the same time, the WTC Transportation Hub interconnects with every facet of the entire project. If the WTC site were a solar system, then the 800,000-sq-ft transportation hub would be its sun.
The hub, estimated at $3.4 billion, will be a key permanent link to every other facility on the WTC site. It includes four platforms and five tracks for PATH trains, underground transit connections, access to the five WTC towers for the memorial and museum, and 200,000 ft of retail space. For now, it is a temporary access link for construction on every other site project.