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Author Topic: AirTrain to connect LGA to 7 train  (Read 10994 times)

Offline Shelby2

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AirTrain to connect LGA to 7 train
« on: January 20, 2015, 06:49:39 PM »
Gov. Cuomo made an announcement today about plans to build an AirTrain connecting LGA to the 7 train at Willets Point.

I wonder if the 7 train will be stretched beyond capacity quite soon with all the Willets Point development and now the newly planned AirTrain.  Are there any plans to increase capacity on the 7 train? 

http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20150120/east-elmhurst/cuomo-announces-airtrain-laguardia-airport-from-subway-lirr

Quote
Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced plans Tuesday to build a second AirTrain in Queens, connecting riders to LaGuardia Airport from the 7 train and Long Island Rail Road.

The plan calls for a 1.5-mile tram that runs along the Grand Central Parkway from the Willets Point 7 train and LIRR stations, Cuomo said.

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Offline sl

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Re: AirTrain to connect LGA to 7 train
« Reply #1 on: January 20, 2015, 08:57:26 PM »
This is a bad idea. The 7 train is already much too crowded.
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Offline dssjh

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Re: AirTrain to connect LGA to 7 train
« Reply #2 on: January 20, 2015, 10:08:40 PM »
we could always tear up half of astoria and east elmhurst at a cost of $10 billion instead.....
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Offline theplanesland

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Re: AirTrain to connect LGA to 7 train
« Reply #3 on: January 21, 2015, 10:20:13 AM »
Quote from: dssjh on January 20, 2015, 10:08:40 PM
we could always tear up half of astoria and east elmhurst at a cost of $10 billion instead.....

Or we could run a line from Woodside up the BQE like was proposed before this. Cuomo is just trying to do this on the cheap - a connection from Woodside would cost $1.5b while this costs $400m. Alas, this train will be useless:

http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2015/01/21/for-laguardia-an-airtrain-that-will-save-almost-no-one-any-time/
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Offline dssjh

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Re: AirTrain to connect LGA to 7 train
« Reply #4 on: January 21, 2015, 11:24:25 AM »
the line from woodside would be better, for sure. but it would also bring people to the 7, which was the other poster's objection.
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Offline StevenGrey

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Re: AirTrain to connect LGA to 7 train
« Reply #5 on: January 21, 2015, 11:54:32 AM »
Even though I personally miss the convenience of having the Q33 bus go to the LGA terminals, the new Q70 express bus really serves the purpose of connecting the LIRR, 7, E, F, M, and R lines to the airport in an efficient manner. Perhaps the governor could use some of the $450 million that he's proposing for the AirTran to instead look into ways to improve and expand the Roosevelt Avenue transit hub so that passengers would not have to wait outside on the street for the Q70?
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Offline Jeffsayyes

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Re: AirTrain to connect LGA to 7 train
« Reply #6 on: January 21, 2015, 01:03:25 PM »
I hope they will also be improving LGA. It quite frankly sucks compared to most other airports I've been to.
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Offline theplanesland

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Re: AirTrain to connect LGA to 7 train
« Reply #7 on: January 21, 2015, 01:37:49 PM »
Quote from: dssjh on January 21, 2015, 11:24:25 AM
the line from woodside would be better, for sure. but it would also bring people to the 7, which was the other poster's objection.

But it would also connect to the LIRR Main Line, not just the Port Washington, so there would be a lot more opportunities for LIRR access. And getting the LGA passengers on and off at 61st Street would lighten up the 7 as it goes through JH and Corona. It would also be faster.
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Offline jh_coop_buyer

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Re: AirTrain to connect LGA to 7 train
« Reply #8 on: January 21, 2015, 02:21:37 PM »
Quote from: theplanesland on January 21, 2015, 10:20:13 AM

Or we could run a line from Woodside up the BQE like was proposed before this. Cuomo is just trying to do this on the cheap - a connection from Woodside would cost $1.5b while this costs $400m. Alas, this train will be useless:

http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2015/01/21/for-laguardia-an-airtrain-that-will-save-almost-no-one-any-time/

I don't know how the  thetransportpolitic article was able to conclude that the air train would not save much time for travellers by connecting the Astoria N line or having aitrain at Woodside along BQE line unless the article was comparing the taxi (or air porter) and the public transportation, which was not a fair comparison for air train. The air train costs much less than taxi (air porter), is much reliable and is not subject to traffic.

In terms of saving time for the travellers to LGA. The best way to follow the Q70 bus (it connects the five subway lines at Jackson Heights, including both local and express 7  and LIRR at woodside). The next best thing is to connect the Astoria N to LGA. The air train that  connects Willet points to LGA  will not be utilized much, but better than nothing at all.

However, the cost of building air train for the three strategies is the other way around, that is probably why the air train from Willet points to LGA was proposed.
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Offline leoooog

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Re: AirTrain to connect LGA to 7 train
« Reply #9 on: January 21, 2015, 05:20:13 PM »
I don't see this proposed AirTrain making travel to LGA any more convenient for most people. Any time saved by having a direct rail link to the airport would be negated by the extra time it takes to get to Willets Point, which is farther away, has limited express train service, and extremely limited LIRR service. In addition to not being any quicker, it would triple the price, assuming the fares to LGA are the same as the fares to JFK.

I think the existing Q70 service is actually pretty good. There's no special fare and it connects passengers to five Subway lines—two of which are express most of the day—and a full-time LIRR station. I imagine making improving bus service, with new buses, dedicated bus lanes, etc., would be much less costly than half a billion dollars.

But I guess that wouldn't do anything to improve Joe Biden's image of LGA.
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Offline hagsrus

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Re: AirTrain to connect LGA to 7 train
« Reply #10 on: January 21, 2015, 08:04:12 PM »
Didn't know Biden was interested!

The couple of times I've used the Q70 it was very good, but crowded and slow to board. Perhaps a more frequent service (or double buses) and possibly pre-purchase fare?

If they go ahead with Willets Point I hope they would install an elevator!

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Offline theplanesland

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There's a good chance that LGA AirTrain isn't happening
« Reply #11 on: September 17, 2015, 07:00:17 AM »
It was a dumb idea anyway, designed to funnel travelers through Cuomo's buddies' shopping mall at Willets Point, which has now been blocked by the courts.

The least disruptive option would be to go up the BQE from 61st/Woodside (like the JFK train is over the Van Wyck), but there was no Related Companies shopping mall at that station, I guess.

http://www.gothamgazette.com/index.php/opinion/5889-the-laguardia-vaportrain
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Offline Superclam

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Re: There's a good chance that LGA AirTrain isn't happening
« Reply #12 on: September 17, 2015, 07:18:26 AM »
They really bash the 7 in that article!
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Offline dssjh

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Re: There's a good chance that LGA AirTrain isn't happening
« Reply #13 on: September 17, 2015, 08:49:33 AM »
a rail link has to happen at some point, but the one that cuomo floated was ridiculous for so many reasons (further loading the 7, forcing people past LGA to backtrack to the airport)....and was clearly formulated for the reasons theplanesland suggests.
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Offline Shelby2

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LGA Airtrain proposal to Willets Point
« Reply #14 on: June 18, 2017, 11:01:14 PM »
This article is from last month (May 2017). I hadn't realized this proposal was still in the works. A $14 million commitment to develop the proposal makes it sound pretty serious.

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-firm-hired-design-14-6m-airtrain-laguardia-airport-article-1.3148361

There were a few discussions about this on JHL but I couldn't find anything more recent than 2015, so I started this new thread.

I thought the Q70 pretty much took care of the lack of public transportation to LGA, and it brings people to a bigger hub than Willets Point. I don't see the point in spending a massive amount of money to achieve questionable results.

 
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