For decades, travelers considered LaGuardia dirty and unreliable – as flights were constantly delayed and airport facilities were viewed as grossly inadequate. Although that dissatisfaction prompted a long overdue renovation, some take issue with the government’s approach – including, Frank Taylor, President of the Ditmars Boulevard Block Association. Part of the airport improvement includes the creation of an Air Train system, much like the one at JFK. However, Taylor is displeased because officials aren’t being transparent about the process. “The project, with a rising cost of over $2 billion, is made worse by the fact that the current review process lacks transparency and is devoid of any real public scrutiny,” writes Frank Taylor in his op-ed piece appearing in Crain’s New York. “In this orchestrated secrecy, the public awareness of how the Air Train’s potential costs greatly outweigh the alleged benefits is intentionally obscured.” When building the JFK Air Train, the process was open to the community. But the LaGuardia developers are seeking to avoid scrutiny by local community boards, the City Planning Commission, and even the City Council. Communities surrounding the airport are unhappy with this secrecy and are not only displeased with the expense of this apparent boondoggle but are concerned about its environmental impact. “[The] proposal has drawn the ire of environmentalists concerned about the damage to Flushing Bay and its waterfront, and transit advocates who believe that the project’s stated goal of relieving congestion and providing a speedy access to the airport, will never be reached in spite of billions of dollars being spent,” Taylor wrote. # # # To read the full op-ed piece, click here: https://www.crainsnewyork.com/op-ed/stop-cuomos-laguardia-air-train-steamrolling-queens-community
