Comments on: Waiting for the JFK Rail Link, or at least $2 billion

By: Remembering the Train (to the Bus) to the Plane :: Second Ave. Sagas | A New York City Subway Blog

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 20:01:29 +0000

[...] As passengers eventually realized that they could reach JFK by taking a slightly longer trip but paying just the regular fare by riding the A train, the Train to Plane fell to the wayside. Every few years, City officials begin a push for a true raillink, a dedicated track that would connect Lower Manhattan to the JFK Airport. We missed an opportunity to build one out to then-Idlewild when Robert Moses built his highways, and due to an estimated cost of nearly $10 billion, we saw a recent effort die in spite of a guaranteed $2 billion federal grant. [...]

By: R2

R2 — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 13:48:40 +0000

This is New York. You’re dreaming too big.

By: petey

petey — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 04:29:08 +0000

but still a very good idea.

By: Veritas

Veritas — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 04:12:31 +0000

The M60 runs into Manhattan from LGA and the Q33 and Q47 are local buses than run through Queens. I’ve taken the M60 many times and have never had any trouble finding the bus stop from Terminal A. The signs were quite clearly marked in that terminal, but I’m not sure about the others.

Also, there is a privately run express bus that runs between LGA and Grand Central in Manhattan. Again, the signs for where to meet this are clearly marked in Terminal A of LGA. Last time I took this bus (well over a year ago), it cost about $12 each way and took less than half an hour.

Why not just extend the LIRR past Atlantic & Flatbush all the way into Lower Manhattan? This would benefit lots of Long Island commuters and make the trip to JFK very easy from Lower Manhattan (although it wouldn’t be a one-seat ride).

By: Alon Levy

Alon Levy — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 03:39:51 +0000

Ed, the AirTrain uses the Van Wyck right of way. Northwest of Jamaica, there’s nothing comparable. The Grand Central Parkway can be used to reach LaGuardia, but the route is circuitous and the connections to the rest of the rail system are terrible.

My fantasy LGA extension of choice is a shuttle running along Junction, connecting the airport to the 7. This takes the load off the N/W, which is the extension that’s been proposed in the past. The main benefit is that this shuttle does allow some connections to neighborhoods that lack transit, and connects well to possible future extensions.

By: Ed

Ed — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 02:45:06 +0000

I’d like to see the northern branch of the existing airtrain extended north across Queens to LaGuardia. Along the way, it would link up with the various subway lines as they extend out to Queens, improving access to both airports as multiple subways would now reach the airtrain. Swing the line east in a few places and you could provide rail transit to Queens neighborhoods that don’t have it, though I’ve been told that people in these neighborhoods objected to past projects to extend the subways in Queens because they thought it would bring “the wrong element” into their neighborhood. If that is still the case, run the line further west. The point is that this would be cheap compared to some of the other options.

Incidentally, does anyone know where at LaGuardia you catch the existing local bus that runs there? Every time I’ve flown into LaGuardia I’ve looked and asked around, and it seems to be unmarked and no one there knows about it. Does this bus really exist? Also, running a real express (no more than four stops) bus between LaGuardia and Midtown that is actually advertised somewhat would also improve service fairly quickly and cheaply.

By: Kai

Kai — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 02:44:25 +0000

It really isn’t a priority in my eyes either. There are several ways to travel to JFK from Manhattan, from super economical (subway to MTA bus), to economical (subway to AirTrain), to “upscale” (LIRR from Penn Station to AirTrain), to ultra-luxury (US Helicopter).

I used the LIRR option a couple weeks ago and it only took me 20 minutes from Penn Station to Jamaica, a five minute wait for the AirTrain, and a seven minute trip to Terminal One. Overall, less than 40 minutes from Midtown… You really can’t complain for a city the size of New York. I know the Lower Manhattan options could be improved, but I really don’t see the priority over improving “real” mass transit, such as by building more of the Second Avenue Subway.

I also would like to see any kind of rail connection to LGA before this additional link to JFK.

By: Benjamin Kabak

Benjamin Kabak — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:01:06 +0000

Per the Port Authority, in 2008, Air Train ridership at JFK hit 4.75 million for the year. That's a hair under 13,000 per day. I'd imagine that number will stay steady in this economy. More people will use the Air-Train in this economy because it's far, far cheaper than taking a cab, but fewer people overall will be flying.

By: Skip Skipson

Skip Skipson — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 23:50:01 +0000

I agree with Scott about concentrating on existing projects.

Speaking of Air-Train has the Port Authority released paying ridership figures? I’m very curious if more people are (paying) using the Air-train to get to JFK in this economic climate.

By: AlexB

AlexB — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 23:46:06 +0000

I know it’s totally unrealistic…