By Philip Newman
The 150,000 Queens residents who live close enough to LaGuardia Airport to endure noise from takeoffs and landings may experience a bit of unaccustomed weekend serenity this summer and in early autumn.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey plans to start closing one of the airport’s two runways nearly every weekend starting May 26 to repair surfaces and strengthen runways for some of the heaviest planes ever to land at LaGuardia.
“We plan to start the work May 26 and it will run until Oct. 15 from midnight early Saturdays until 6 a.m. Sundays,” said Pasquale DiFulco, a spokesman for the Port Authority.
“The shutdown will mean that either Runway 13-31 or Runway 4-23 will be out of service but never both at the same time,” DiFulco said. “Which runway is closed at a given time will depend on wind direction, among other factors.”
DiFulco said the closed runways will have little effect on flights since airlines, at least officially, already observe a voluntary curfew at LaGuardia between midnight and 6 a.m. and Saturday is a light day for flight traffic.
“There is some aircraft noise after midnight at times due to some late flights,” DiFulco said.
Many Queens residents claim, however, that they are regularly awakened after midnight and before 6 a.m. by jets zooming in over their homes on approach to LaGuardia.
Queens Borough President Claire Shulman’s office says at least 150,000 people live close enough to the airport to have to put up with the noise from planes.
The repairs at LaGuardia are part of a $9 billion renovation project at LaGuardia and John F. Kennedy International airports. One improvement at LaGuardia involves strengthening the two runways to accommodate larger jetliners such as the Boeing 767-400, just put into service May 1 by Delta Air Lines.
Airport officials want to encourage more such planes at LaGuardia because of the 767-400’s new, environmentally friendly engines and large capacity, promoting a trend toward fewer planes carrying more passengers.
The 767-400 is a new version of a jetliner in service more than a decade. At 350,000 pounds, it is perhaps the heaviest aircraft LaGuardia has ever accommodated.
The repairs will also include storm drains that have not been repaired or replaced in more than 30 years along with new sign systems in the terminal and parking garages, roadway and garage improvements, beautification of the Marine Air Terminal and replacement of the central heating system.
Reach contributing writer Philip Newman by e-mail at Timesledgr@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 136.
