QNE_p027

QC02162017

FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM FEBRUARY 16, 2017 • THE QUEENS COURIER 25 First steps taken toward building LaGuardia AirTrain BY ANGELA MATUA amatua@qns.com @AngelaMatua Th e long journey toward constructing a new AirTrain to LaGuardia Airport has taken off . Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that a request for proposals (RFP) was issued by Port Authority to start construction WINTER SAVINGS 10% OFF ANY PURCHASE With Coupon. Not combinable – New Orders Only. Limit 1 per customer. $150.00 max for discount. Excludes Repairs, Re�� nishing, Rewiring. Exp. 2/28/17 FREE Eye Exam WITH PURCHASE OF COMPLETE PAIR OF GLASSES OR EYE EXAM ONLY – $25 (REG. $85) Dr Lee is here every Friday for Exams from 12-6pm COMPETITIVE PRICES 20% OFF ALL PURCHASES ������������������������������������������������������������������������������ Varilux no-line bifocals �������������������������������������������������������������� ������������������������ ������������������������������������������������������ $170 ������������������������������������ �������������������� �������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������ 2 Pairs of Eyeglasses (Frames & Lenses) $99 ������������������������������������������������������ ������������������������������������ �������������������� �������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������ We Honor Most Competitor’s Coupons WE ARE A LOCAL FAMILY-RUN BUSINESS, NOT A CHAIN���������������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������������������ HUGE SELECTION! 50% OFF non-prescription sunglasses. Some restrictions may apply. Not to be combined with any other offer. ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������� �������������������������������������������� ���������������������������������������������������������������������������� Clifford ������������������������������������������������������������������������������ Optical 38-19 BELL BOULEVARD, BAYSIDE ������������������������������ OFFERING THE LOWEST PRICES ON CONTACT LENSES on a new LaGuardia AirTrain connection. Th e chosen company will be responsible for constructing up to two new stations at the terminal buildings at the airport and a station at Willets Point. Th e company will also have to construct a right-of-way for the train from the airport to Willets Point. “Th e millions of passengers who travel through LaGuardia each year deserve a convenient and reliable mass transit option that connects this key transportation hub to the heart of Manhattan,” Cuomo said. “We are transforming LaGuardia into a world-class transportation gateway, and an essential piece of the puzzle is ensuring rail mass transit access to the airport.” Th e AirTrain would provide a six-minute ride from LaGuardia to Willets Point. A new LIRR station and 7-line subway station are in the process of being constructed at Willets Point, which would make travel from Midtown Manhattan to LaGuardia easier, Cuomo said. Th e number of passengers at LaGuardia Airport is expected to rise by 6 million annually by 2030, which makes the AirTrain necessary to “accommodate its growth,” Cuomo argues. But others, like Port Authority Commissioner Ken Lipper, don’t agree. According to AMNY, Lipper said at a January board meeting that the AirTrain, along with a PATH extension to Newark Airport, would not have enough riders to justify the cost, which was estimated to be $450 million in 2015. “I’d like to say that the two airport rail projects, one from Newark Airport to World Trade Center, the other from LaGuardia to Willets Point in Queens, are amongst the most ill-conceived projects that I’ve experienced in government,” Lipper said. Others have argued that the AirTrain would not save anyone time and would crowd the already congested 7 line. Th e Village Voice pointed out that Long Island residents who do not live off of the Port Washington LIRR line would have to take several trains to access the AirTrain. Th e governor’s offi ce used the JFK AirTrain system as reasoning for a need for a similar system at LaGuardia Airport. JFK AirTrain serves more than 21 million riders per year, a number that has almost tripled since the system’s implementation 12 years ago. Th e chosen fi rm would also have to “conduct a detailed ridership analysis and begin analyzing public-private partnerships and other fi nancing options to identify the most advantageous fi nancing plan for the AirTrain.” Additional parking options and a plan to consolidate 10 rental car companies currently located at Willets Point will also have to be factored into the RFP, which is due in four weeks. “LaGuardia is an anachronistic anomaly and is the only major airport on the East Coast — from Boston in the north to Miami in the South — that does not have rail access,” said Patrick Foye, executive director of the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey. “Th e LaGuardia AirTrain will drive economic activity while reducing congestion across our roadways — benefi ting the region, the state and Queens.” Rendering via Governor Cuomo’s Offi ce


QC02162017
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