Help
DECEMBER 02ND, 2003
More than a year after a deadly accident delayed its debut, the AirTrain to John F. Kennedy Airport will begin passenger service in about two weeks.
Governor George Pataki said Tuesday the AirTrain will take its first trip on Wednesday, December 17. That coincides with the 100th anniversary of manned flight.
The light rail service will connect JFK to the Long Island Railroad and the city transit system.
The nearly $2 billion project began in 1999 and was scheduled to open last year, but the train crashed during a test run in September 2002, killing the driver, 23-year-old Kelvin DeBourgh Junior. The crash caused an estimated $4 million in damage.
Investigators said excessive speed and poor communication were to blame.
From NY1.com
FACTS AT A GLANCE
Project Description
* Light rail system (compatible with the region) to John F. Kennedy International Airport.
AirTrain at JFK Airport
System Length
* Approximately 8.1 miles:
o 1.8-mile loop connecting airline terminals in JFK's Central Terminal Area (CTA).
o 3-mile extension to Jamaica transportation center.
o 3.3-mile extension to Howard Beach subway station.
Stations
Howard Beach Station
* Fully enclosed, heated and air conditioned with platform doors, wide escalators, large glass enclosed elevators, moving walkways to airline terminals, and 240-foot platform lengths. Ten stations will serve the following locations on and off airport:
o Terminal 1 (Air France, Lufthansa, Korean Air, Japan Airlines)
o Terminals 2 and 3 (Delta)
o Terminal 4 (International Air Terminal)
o Terminals 5 and 6 (United Airlines and JetBlue)
o Terminal 7 (British Airways)
o Terminal 8 (American Airlines)
o Federal Circle/Rental Cars
o Long Term/Employee Parking Lot
o Howard Beach
o Jamaica Station
Jamaica Station
Transportation Connections
* Jamaica - Long Island Rail Road trains; New York City Transit's E, J and Z subway lines; local bus lines.
* Howard Beach - New York City Transit's A subway line.
Travel Times
* Complete trip around Central Terminal Area: 8 minutes.
* Manhattan to JFK via Jamaica: less than 45 minutes
* Manhattan to JFK via Howard Beach: less than one hour.
Regional Benefits
Model of AirTrain at the Van Wyck Expressway
Construction over the Van Wyck Expressway
* Reduced highway congestion; improved air quality.
* Requires 4,150 construction jobs, generating $580 million in wages and $980 million in sales.
* Stimulates the Queens economy by contributing to the revitalization of Jamaica.
* Provides local residents who work at JFK with a transit connection to the airport.
* Ties JFK Corporate Square, a planned airport-themed mixed-use development located adjacent to Jamaica Station complex, to JFK with an 8-16 minute ride.
* Boosts New York City's international business and $15-billion-a-year tourism industry.
More information at: Port Authority - JFK AirTrain
