Another significant milestone in the $8 billion LaGuardia Airport transformation has been passed with the new Terminal C outer roadway system’s completion six months ahead of schedule.
The roadway network is finished in time to accommodate passengers taking to the skies during the summer travel season.
“A completely redesigned road network, with state-of-the-art traffic management systems and fewer signaled intersections, will make it far easier for travelers arriving by vehicle to get to terminals or parking garages, representing a significant step forward as we create a world-class travel experience at the new LaGuardia Airport,” Governor Andrew Cuomo said. “Along with plans to build AirTrain LaGuardia, the new roadway network puts LaGuardia Airport well on the way to becoming one of the most accessible airports in the nation.”
Roadway construction was accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic as a result of reduced traffic and travel volume at the airport which slashed six months off the scheduled time for completion. The Port authority allotted $625 million to new roadway and bridge construction as part of the overhaul.
“The completion of LaGuardia Airport’s 8.4 mile roadway is the latest in a growing list of milestones on our way to delivering on Governor Cuomo’s vision for a new world-class airport that will transform LaGuardia into the nation’s best new airport,” Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton said. “This is the first brand new airport in the U.S. in 25 years and we are now less than a year away from its completion. Today’s milestone is a major step forward to envision a whole new LaGuardia.”
Cuomo also announced $1.5 million in additional funding to the Council for Airport Opportunity for the LaGuardia Career Center which, working with Elmcor Youth and Adult Activities and Neighborhood Housing Services of Queens CDC, will continue to provide opportunities for local residents to benefit from the airport’s redevelopment through 2025.
The Council for Airport Opportunity is a nonprofit organization that provides airport-related recruitment and job placement services to Queens residents, including those who are minority and disadvantaged.
“The roadway’s completion, along with the extension of the Council for Airport Opportunity’s LaGuardia Career Center, are major milestones in the visionary $8 billion redevelopment of LaGuardia, a project that has already benefited the borough by creating jobs, scholarships and STEM programs for the local community,” Queens Borough President Donovan Richards said. “This project is greatly enhancing our borough’s economic competitiveness and strongly benefits the nearly 2.4 million who call Queens home.”
The funding is crucial to the post-COVID economic recovery in the residential communities surrounding LaGuardia Airport.
“NHS of Queens is thrilled with the work our partnership at the LaGuardia Career Center has done in improving the life of our neighbors over the last 3 years. Together we have referred thousands of Queens residents to the various job openings at the new LGA and provided a ray of hope to our neighbors, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Neighborhood Housing Services of Queens Executive Director Yoselin Genao Estrella said. “As we look into economic recovery, the LaGuardia Career Center serves as a bridge to opportunities for our neighbors. I thank the Port Authority for their continued trust and support as our partnership keeps on working with the community to create sustainable communities through access to employment opportunities, inclusive economic development and training programs.”
Elmcor Youth & Adult Activities Executive Director Saeeda Dunston agreed that the LaGuardia Career Center has been a game changer.
“As we continue to work towards recovery after this past year we are hopeful for our community members as we address employment opportunities with our partners at CAO and NHS,” Dunston said. “This commitment to continued funding for the Career Center is a commitment to a community that was considered the epicenter of the epicenter of COVID-19.”
