NEW YORK | LaGuardia Airport Access / AirTrain

New York Parks & Infrastructure
103

I think a subway branch from Astoria makes more sense, personally.

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104

I guess you have never been in Rome.

105

Are you talking about the Leonardo Express? Then perhaps you missed my comment above where I referred to something like the Heathrow Express as “the ideal”.

You are correct that I have not been to Rome. I would love to visit, but every time I try to plan a trip, it’s literally 3x the cost of every other European destination, so I end up somewhere else. I’ve been to Venice and Milan (ugh) but not Rome.

But the Leonardo Express sounds very similar to the Heathrow Express and a similar line in Beijing, both of which I have experienced and enjoyed. It’s a good template that I would love to see in NYC. The AirTrain “to LGA” is not even close.

106

There’s also direct rail from central Paris to Charles de Gaulle airport, one seat ride that takes about 35 minutes.

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107

Yes, the Leonardo Express is pretty good, but it’s quite the exception, 'cause Rome’s public transportation is REALLY bad.

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110

Any body who wanted an alternative route instead, your wishes came true.:upside_down_face:

111

welp. Can that money be used on an alternative project? Or is that just a bunch of wasted time that was just thrown away?

112

WSJ predicted it…

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113

Hmm, seems the AirTrain is definitely out. What are some likely alternatives?

114

Realistically, if they want to make use of the current momentum and funding, I think it would have to be some kind of enhanced bus service along the Q70 route, with better bus equipment, dedicated lanes, etc. That will take some planning and work, and serious coordination with the MTA, but it could probably be done if Hochul got behind it.

I’d much prefer a subway extension, probably the W from Astoria line. There are a few different routes it could take (GCP, Ditmars, or closer to the water). But that will take so much lengthy planning, coordination, and new funding that it’s a whole new project, starting from scratch. Ideally, with enough political will, we’ll start down that path, but it’s not a simple drop-in replacement for the AirTrain project.

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I doubt that the alternatives will be rail. I suspect that express buses will be utilized.

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116

she could not have said less if she tried.

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118

JRF, on another matter, will the very top of JPMC be at leafy 1,420’?

119

I don’t know what this means. Yes, it’s true for LGA, and JFK and Newark.

I also don’t see anything in Hochul’s release that indicates any changes. She’s asking for the PA to review the decision, which makes sense.

And I seriously doubt they’re going to substitute subway/LIRR service for passengers and employees by just making the Q70 an express bus. That would be insane, and would screw over Queens bus riders. And there still wouldn’t be a rail connection between the terminals.

120

exactly. and if anyone thinks that the port will voluntarily relinquish its own solution in favor of one provided by another agency, you have another thing coming…

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122

Amazing.

Expect LGA to have no rail connection for the next twenty years or so.

We’ve all missed the trees for the woods. This has been being discussed for decades, and this pause is a return to the status quo.

The Willets Point AirTrain was mediocre but was something, which is better than nothing.

The bus is NOT a good solution for anyone coming from far away, not to mention its small and susceptible to traffic. (Coming from JC to LGA is a nightmare)

Extending the N will cost double digit billions (eminent domain suits, nimby lawsuits, utility relocation, overinflated union contracts, tunnel boring, numerous useless environmental impact studies) and the local NIMBYs will scream at the idea of it. Not to mention the N will have to go underground otherwise it will be too close to the LGA runway. I agree that extending the N makes sense in a vacuum but we live in reality with real constraints.

Any other rail proposal is dead in the water as NY is too incompetent to design a new line or extension thats more work than extending the N and actually put the money up for it and put a shovel down.

Totally embarrassing a major airport in a huge city like NYC has no rail service. But I guess in the end everyone can clap that the mediocre solution was stopped for the same ‘alternatives’ that have been being discussed for years on end with no action.

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Thanks to the likes of the clueless morons Hocul, AOC and friends. NY is and has been screwed with these people in charge.

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