NEW YORK, N.Y .— As a part of the redesign and construction of LaGuardia Airport, a LaGuardia AirTrain
is being planned. A direct route mass transit system will allow New Yorkers to travel from Midtown Manhattan to the airport under 30 minutes. The AirTrain would leave to the airport every four minutes.
“AirTrain LGA will set an example of comprehensive transit infrastructure for the rest of the nation, and will pay dividends for decades by connecting riders to transit hubs across the Metropolitan area, boosting passenger growth across all airlines, and providing a more efficient means of travel for generations to come,” said Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo.
Gov. Cuomo signed a law to go forward with the environmental review required for construction of the $1.5 billion LaGuardia AirTrain. The project is part of the $8 billion redevelopment of LaGuardia Airport currently underway. A totally union project.
Led by the Federal Aviation Administration, the AirTrain’s possible routes are being considered. The legislation allows the Department of Transportation to take lands owned by the city or the MTA within the established corridor. No route can be approved before the environmental review process is completed. Construction is expected to begin in 2020 with the opening in 2022.
“For too long, LaGuardia Airport has had the dubious distinction of being the only major East Coast airport without a rail link, and that is unacceptable,” said Port Authority executive director Rick Cotton in a statement. “Simply put, a 21st-century airport must meet global standards, and that requires rail mass transit access.”
