Biden, Cuomo discuss airport future but what of train access?
A few months ago, Vice President Joe Biden drew some heat when he unfavorably compared Laguardia to third world airports. Considering that Laguardia has terminal buildings that are, to some degree or other, air conditioned, it was an unfair comparison with a bit of hyperbole, but Biden’s criticism rang familiar. Traveling to and from Laguardia is not exactly a pleasant experience, and for millions who see it as their entry point to New York City, it is not a point of pride for New Yorkers.
Continue
Certainly I agree that among JFK, Newark Liberty, and LaGuardia Airports, the latter is the least appealing because of its lack of rail access. And I highly favor an extension beyond Astoria of the N line. It's the nearest transit line that already dead ends in the area, so the extension is most logical. Although I think the line between Astoria Blvd. and Ditmars Blvd. would have to be truncated so the line could run over the Grand Central Parkway right-of-way (much like AirTrain runs above the Van Wyck Expressway).
A branch off the 7 line has also been suggested if you check back through our post history. But having a branch rather than an extension opens up new debate on how to best serve the old endpoint (in this case Main Street-Flushing) and the new branch endpoint at the airport, which would require frequent service given its function. The thought in the piece above about LIRR going to LaGuardia makes the least sense. A larger footprint would be required to bring commuter train tracks to the airport. Newark and JFK are not directly served by commuter rail -- only by AirTrain (monorail and advanced light rail respectively) between airport and the nearest stations. If LIRR were to be a player in travel to LaGuardia, then it would have to be via another AirTrain type connection. Extension of the existing JFK AirTrain beyond Jamaica would be too far east and thus require too much new construction. A separate AirTrain would have to run from perhaps Woodside or a potential new station in the Sunnyside Yard area and run adjacent to the Amtrak right-of-way and then across a park to the Grand Central Parkway, over which it would only have to run a few blocks before coming to airport property.