Q70 bus service to LaGuardia Airport will get $160M upgrade
Credit: MTA
New York has revealed a $160 million plan to fund the long-awaited expansion of bus service to and from LaGuardia Airport. Gov. Kathy Hochul, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey on Tuesday unveiled the proposed upgrades, which includes creating a bus-only lane, installing traffic signals that prioritize the Q70 bus, increasing service during peak hours, adding a dedicated pick-up and drop-off zone at LGA, and improving lighting and signage, and more. Recommended by an expert panel in 2023, the proposal is an alternative to the controversial AirTrain, a 1.5-mile elevated rail line to the airport scrapped by the governor.
“The transformation of LaGuardia Airport into a world-class destination that is recognized for its excellence is an integral part of our bold vision for a new era in New York, and that starts with much needed enhancements in transportation to and from the airport,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said.
“This new funding will advance several transportation projects, provide new bus lanes, reduce congestion and overcrowding, and install new traffic lights to prioritize buses into the airport. I’m proud to celebrate these accomplishments and look forward to creating a world-class transit option.”
Under the proposal, traffic signals along Roosevelt Avenue and Broadway will prioritize the Q70 bus, reducing commute times. An exclusive bus lane along the northbound Brooklyn-Queens Expressway will improve service reliability between Jackson Heights and LaGuardia.
Starting June 1, buses will run more frequently between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to accommodate increased ridership. A new pick-up and drop-off area near Terminal C will provide exclusive road access to prevent airport road congestion.
Signage, lighting, and station branding improvements at the Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Avenue/74th Street and 61st Street-Woodside stations will further enhance the customer experience.
This proposal replaces former Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s AirTrain project, announced in 2015. Initially projected to cost $450 million, the AirTrain’s estimated cost ballooned to over $2 billion. In October 2021, Gov. Hochul halted the project and called for a review of alternatives, as previously reported by 6sqft.
In March 2023, the Port Authority unveiled 14 mass transit options as alternatives to the AirTrain, including two subway extensions, five light rail routes, five bus options, a ferry service, and options using “emerging technologies” like narrow tunnels with electric vehicles, fixed guideway autonomous vehicles, and personal rapid transit vehicles like pods.
Initially, a panel supported a “one-seat ride via subway” plan as the most effective way to improve mass transit to the airport. However, due to the high costs and complexities of building a subway extension, the group settled on improving bus service as the best near-term solution.
The Port Authority Board of Commissioners is expected to approve the proposal on Thursday. Some project components, including those involving the Terminal C bus loop, still need to be bid out to contractors, according to Gothamist.
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