LaGuardia airtrain faces challenges
FAA scoping session draws mixed reviews
AIRPORT VOICE, JULY 2019 11
BY JEFF YAPALATER
The Federal Aviation Administration
held backto
back public scoping
meetings in East Elmhurst
in early June to get public input
on the proposed LaGuardia
AirTrain project, which
is now entering the environmental
review process.
The meetings aimed to
get public comment on the
project, which involves constructing
a 1.5-mile elevated
train line that would link
LaGuardia Airport to Willets
Point near Citi Field. The
Willets Point terminal would
then connect to the Long Island
Rail Road and the No. 7
train with travel time about
30 minutes.
Hundreds of local residents,
Port Authority managers,
and consultants crowded
the meeting room to display
and explain the various proposed
transport routes to the
public.
Despite the common belief
that this Airtrain is a
done deal, Port displayed
various options to the community
with one preferred
plan. Some residents were
surprised to see the number
of options while many intently
reviewed the posters
and explanations provided
by the FAA and Port.
The preferred plan was
clearly laid out on a table
with a large poster showing
the exact path. Local residents
liked seeing the specifics
but many opposed the
plan strictly because it “ was
in their backyard.” Residents
questioned whether travelers
in Manhattan would opt or a
congested subway ride then
connection to the airtrain.
Some felt that there was little
collaboration before this
point but agency representatives
reassured these people
that the is the first step that
the Port must take with the
FAA. There are many additional
steps needed before a
plan is actually approved.
Another criticism is the
cost. Port Authority now says
the cost of the LaGuardia
Airport AirTrain project —
which was originally priced
at $450 million, then at $1.5
billion — is now estimated to
be roughly $2 billion,
Officials insisted the
1.5-mile-long project will
pay for itself — even as they
simultaneously announced
plans to increase fees on
bridges, tunnels, railways
and airport facilities. Port
aims to reduce traffic congestion
and provide travelers
with access via efficient
public transportation. Currently,
90 percent of LaGuardia
flyers travel by car to get
to the airport
After the public comment
period is completed, the FAA
will write up a Draft Environmental
Impact Statement
(DEIS) with its findings on
the project’s impact which is
expected to be completed this
summer. The public will then
have at least 45 days to provide
additional commentary
based on those findings.
The FAA will then produce
a Final Environmental
Impact Statement that
must address the public’s
concerns. The FAA will then
render a final decision as to
whether to proceed with the
project.
Once all comments are
reviewed and addressed the
Project Team will move forward
with completing the Final
Scoping Document, anticipated
in the Summer of 2019.
Fore more update information,
goto: https://www.
l gaaccessei s.com/pastevents
or call the project information
line at (855) LGAEIS9.
These meetings come after
the FAA’s official notice
of intent was issued on May 3
to announce the preparation
of an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS), pushing the
project into the required public
comment period, which
will end June 17.
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