LaGuardia and Newark Airport AirTrains
FAA approved. On track to next phase
FAA issues Final EA for EWR AirTrain
Construction development chugs along
The Federal Aviation Administration
has issued a Final Environmental
Assessment (EA) for
the proposed AirTrain replacement
at Newark Liberty International
Airport, keeping the project
on track and sustaining the
Port Authority’s commitment to
creating world-class AirTrain systems
across its airports.
The FAA issued a Finding of
No Significant Impact (FONSI)/
Record of Decision (ROD) on
August 13, based on a review
of 17 areas of assessment. The
findings are available on the Port
Authority website (Port Authority
Authority of New York and New
Jersey (panynj.gov). The FAA
served as the lead federal review
agency and the issuance of its review
AIRPORT V 22 OICE, SEPTEMBER 2021
follows completion of a 30-
day public comment period, held
from February 11 through March
12, 2021. The Final EA includes
public and written comments received
during this period.
With the decision, the Port
Authority continues to build momentum
toward state-of-the-art
mass rail transit systems that
reduce greenhouse gas emissions
and traffic congestion and
provide a safer, more accessible
ride for air travelers. In July,
the FAA issued a ROD for the
planned LaGuardia AirTrain following
an exhaustive environmental
review.
Construction on the $2.05-billion
Newark Liberty project is
outmoded
AirTrain, which opened in
1996 and was extended in 2001
and remains vulnerable to frequent
breakdowns and delays.
“This decision is a key step
in replacing the long-outdated
AirTrain,” said Governor Phil Murphy.
“New Jerseyans and travelers
deserve a world-class transit
system create a new rail system that offers
a 21st-century customer experience
for airport visitors and
employees, as we continue to
reimagine and redevelop Newark
Liberty Airport.”
“Modern, world-class mass
FAA approves LGA AirTrain
Port issues procurement short list
Following the Federal Aviation
Administration’s final environmental
approval of AirTrain
LaGuardia issued on July 20,
2021, the Port Authority of New
York and New Jersey today announced
a short list of four teams
in the LaGuardia AirTrain procurement.
This short list selection is a
result of the formal Request for
Qualifications that was published
on March 22, 2021. Competing
teams submitted their Statements
of Qualifications by May
18. A selection committee of Port
Authority professionals reviewed
the qualifications and evaluated
the teams. The Port Authority
conducted due diligence on each
firm.
Based on a thorough review
of all the submissions, the Port
Authority’s selection committee
made its final selection of the
top four teams, which have been
posted to the agency’s website.
The four selected teams will be
required to submit their bids by
April 2022. Those bids will then
be evaluated by a Port Authority
selection committee. A final selection
will be announced during
the summer of 2022.
The four shortlisted teams
are:
LGA AirTrain Partners
(Skanska USA Civil Northeast
Inc., Skanska USA Building
Inc., Halmar International LLC,
HNTB New York Engineering
and Architecture, P.C., and Alstom
Transportation Inc.)
LGA Xpress Partners
(Dragados USA Inc., OHL
USA, Inc., AECOM Tishman,
AECOM USA Inc., ACS Infrastructure
Development, Inc.,
and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
America, Inc.)
The LaGuardia Connectors
(Yonkers Contracting Company
Inc., The Lane Construction
Corporation, Stantec Consulting
Services, Inc., and BYD Transit
Solutions LLC)
Tutor Perini/O&G JV
(Tutor Perini Corporation,
O&G Industries, Inc., Parsons
Transportation Group of New
York, Inc., and DCCCA1, Inc.
(Doppelmayr))
The Port Authority has procurements
moving forward for
two AirTrain projects, one at La-
Guardia Airport and a second at
Newark Liberty International Airport.
Newark AirTrain received its
final federal environmental approval
last Friday, August 13. The
LaGuardia AirTrain received final
federal environmental approval
three weeks ago, on July 20.
Each of the AirTrain projects
will:
Create 3,000 direct, goodpaying
union construction jobs
per project.
Allow for more than $500
million in contracts for minorityowned,
women-owned and local
businesses.
Produce lasting environmental
benefits by getting people out
of cars, reducing greenhouse
gas emissions and reducing traffic
on local highways and roads.
Provide a reliable and fast rail
travel to the airports, fit for the
21st century.
ity Studies & Reports | Port
scheduled to begin in mid-2022,
with new service set to start in
2026. Once completed, the new
AirTrain Newark will be a 2.5-mile
elevated guideway train system.
It will replace the existing but outsystem
at Newark Airport, and
we are much closer to attaining
that reality with the FAA’s latest
action.”
“The current AirTrain Newark
has outlived its usefulness,” said
Port Authority Chairman Kevin
O’Toole. “Its replacement will
rail transit is the future of travel
into and around the Port Authority’s
airports,” said Executive Director
Rick Cotton. “It will enable
this agency to provide a safer,
more accessible ride for travelers,
greatly reduce greenhouse
gas emissions and lead to lower
road congestion around our airports.”
Newark & LaGuardia AirTrains On the Right Track to Construction.
The Faa has given the EWR Airtrain its EA approval
and LaGuardia the Final Decision approval, so both AirTrains
are on track for further development and construction.
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