By Philip Newman
Gov. Andrew Cuomo has announced a $37.5 million project to protect LaGuardia Airport from flooding from storms like Hurricane Sandy, which a year ago shut down the airport at a cost of $54 million a day.
LaGuardia airport contributes in excess of $13 billion in economic activity to the New York City region. More than 10,000 people work in or for the airport.
“Forty million is a lot of money at a time when the economy is slow and the budget is tight,” Cuomo said at a news conference Sunday. “But think of it this way. One day of lost service at the airport costs New York about $54 million.”
When Hurricane Sandy struck, dumping more than 100 million gallons of seawater from Flushing Bay onto the airfield and shutting down the airport for three days, an estimated 250,000 passengers were unable to take scheduled flights. More than 3,300 flights had to be canceled.
“Hurricane Sandy forced us to re-evaluate how we prepare for a response to major natural disasters in New York,” Cuomo said. “The question is not if another storm will hit but when and that the state is doing everything it can to ensure that New York’s infrastructure is strong and durable when the time comes. Projects like these will significantly improve flood protection and electrical resiliency at LaGuardia and through the state.”
The new projects include:
• installation of flood barrier berms around the West Field lighting vault, which houses critical runway and taxiway lighting systems
• construction of a concrete floodwall around the West End substation that is critical to powering airfield systems, including pump stations
• construction of gravity drains to supplement the existing drainage network to remove floodwater from the airfield as well as two gravity drains that will allow stormwater to flow into Flushing Bay
• replacing existing generators with larger, more efficient emergency backup generators
• rehabilitating monitoring and controls systems for the power distribution grid to enable the airport to more quickly monitor and address problems with its electrical distribution system
Cuomo’s office said the projects were expected to be covered by federal funds and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
Reach contributing writer Philip Newman by e-mail at timesledgernews@cnglocal.com or phone at 718-260-4536.
