Federal Aviation Administration Approves the LaGuardia AirTrain

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

New York NY, the Federal Aviation Administration has approved the LaGuardia AirTrain clearing the way to provide a reliable, predictable and non-polluting rail link to LaGuardia Airport.

Port Authority Executive Director said in a statement ,”We thank the FAA for conducting an exhaustive and independent environmental review that benefited from extensive input and engagement from the public and the local community during the two-year long EIS process. LaGuardia Airport is the only major airport on the East Coast without a rail mass transit link, and it is way past time for that embarrassment to end. ”

“The LaGuardia AirTrain will provide a sustainable and reliable travel option to LaGuardia Airport. It will remove millions of vehicles from congested highways and local roads each year. The transformative AirTrain project will help drive the region’s economic recovery by creating 3,000 union construction jobs and more than $500 million in business contracting opportunities for minority and women-owned businesses and local, Queens-based businesses. It also includes a historic investment of $50 million in the Malcolm X Promenade along Flushing Bay and other neighborhood parks. Additionally, the LaGuardia AirTrain includes a robust package of other community benefits, from investments in workforce development programs for local residents and strong local hiring requirements, to STEM programming and college scholarships for local students.

With construction on supporting infrastructure set to begin this summer, the Port Authority will continue offering regular engagement opportunities for local residents throughout the construction period to ensure transparency and accountability. The community will receive regular updates on the project as well as on progress on community benefit commitments and will have an open line of communication with project staff to address any questions or concerns.

Once complete, the LaGuardia AirTrain will fulfill Governor Cuomo’s vision for a new, 21st century LaGuardia Airport, which will at long last have the modern and efficient rail access that is essential to meeting the global standards of today’s travelers.”