LaGuardia, the oldest and smallest of the three airports in New York, is receiving major support for its redevelopment, probably because this airport goes unloved by the city’s residents along with mostly everyone else who has to use it. The main reason is that the structure is quite dated: the hallways are narrow, boarding gates get easily crowded and there aren’t many services nor waiting rooms.
The multi-billion dollar project that will renew LaGuardia
State Governor Cuomo did not hide his feelings when he said the airport is a “disgrace”, while Vice President Biden described it as a “third world” airport. The LaGuardia airport renovation project will cost $8 billion, that could easily become $12 billion. This major plan aims to transform the airport into a futuristic structure, with a bigger taxing area for planes (that will reduce the delays caused by the previous small space), a new road entry, expanded parking and a new designated area for taxis and car rentals. There is also a plan for a train on a suspended rail to connect the city’s metro system to the airport.
According to CNN part of the investment is guaranteed by the private sector, which makes the project one of the biggest public-private partnerships in the history of U.S. aviation. Delta Air Lines will cover the lion’s share with a $3.4 investment to have exclusive management of one area of the airport. This will thereby consolidate Delta Air Lines role as LaGuardia’s first airline.
LaGuardia airport and its strategic position
With its central location (it is closer to Manhattan than both John F. Kennedy International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport), the transformed LaGuardia airport will reaffirm its position as a crucial transport hub for one of the most important cities of the world. Due to its strategic vicinity to Manhattan (only 13 kilometers), it has one huge advantage: nearly no waiting time for boarding. National flights depart from LaGuardia to the farthest reaches of the country. Tourists and business people arrive at John F. Kennedy International Airport, while commuters and workers tend to use LaGuardia. If all goes as planned, the redeveloped airport will be ready in 2026 but some areas may even be inaugurated as early as 2019. Accessibility, however, will be one of the biggest challenges. The airport is not currently connected to a train or metro. The potential for an AirTrain, similar to the monorail at JFK that links to the subway, is a sustainable solution but not quite enough to support the traffic that the refurbished airport will draw.
