This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
7/23/2021
The Federal Aviation Administration this week issued its “record of decision” (ROD) on the environmental review for the proposed construction of the LaGuardia Airport (LGA) AirTrain.
The ROD allows the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) to proceed with the $2.1 billion project to construct a rail system that connects the airport to MTA New York City Transit Subway 7 Line and the MTA Long Island Rail Road Port Washington Branch at Mets-Willets Point in Queens, New York.
There will also be passenger walkways connecting to the LGA Central Hall, a parking garage connector, public transportation and ground transportation facilities.
The FAA held two virtual public workshops and three virtual public hearings in September 2020 on the draft environmental review. The meetings had a combined viewership of more than18,000 people, and the public provided more than 4,200 comments, FAA officials said in a press release.
The FAA released the final environmental impact statement on March 19.
LGA is the only major airport on the East Coast without a rail mass-transit link, "and it is way past time for that embarrassment to end," said PANYNJ Executive Director Rick Cotton said in a prepared statement.
The LGA AirTrain will remove millions of vehicles from congested highways and local roads each year, he said.
"With construction on supporting infrastructure set to begin this summer, the port authority will continue offering regular engagement opportunities for local residents throughout the construction period to ensure transparency and accountability," Cotton said.