NYT event listing for Children's Museum, Nov 2003

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

modate a future transit connection. The station can be adapted to provide a connection with the extended PATH service by constructing an overpass or underpass structure to allow the extended PATH tracks to cross the Amtrak main line tracks. At the rail station, escalators and elevators from a new PATH platform will ascend directly into the AirTrain station concourse. In the Lower Manhattan Transit Complex, a passenger processing facility, including airline ticketing, check in, waiting, and flight and train information, could be created to allow air travelers the maximum level of convenience and comfort.

The extension of PATH to the Newark Liberty International Airport station will cost an esti­ mated $525 million and will take 7 to 8 years to complete, including design, engineering, permit­ ting, and construction.’ The service will provide passengers an approximately 38-minute ride to Lower Manhattan from the Newark Liberty Airport rail station, requiring one transfer from AirTrain Newark to PATH. This improvement will save 12 minutes of travel time over existing train service. The Port Authority will work with partner agencies to secure funds for this project from outside of the 14,55 billion FEMA/FTA allocation.

I ,,i( lu.irdia Airport LaGuardia traditionally has been New York’s hub for domestic business air travel. The current trip from Lower Manhattan by subway and bus takes in excess of an hour and requires a transfer. The greatest potential for improving Lower Manhattan access to LaGuardia Airport in the near term exists with ferry service, which would take advantage of LaGuardia's location on the upper East River and the availability of ferry terminals in Lower Manhattan.

A new airport ferry service® would operate on a route from Lower Manhattan (Pier 11 and/or World Financial Center) and the Marine Air Terminal at LaGuardia, along with other potential stops, linking with a shuttle bus that provides access to the airline terminals at the airport. A new ferry landing and airport terminal connections, such as a shuttle bus service, would be required at the Marine Air Terminal. Such a service could be combined with the new East River/Lower Manhattan ferry operations, and possibly be extended to other locations on Long Island Sound, such as Rye, New York, or Stamford, Connecticut, as described in Chapter 3.

The Port Authority's regional ferry program has allocated 112 million in capital funds to estab­ lish passenger ferry service to the New York airports. With air passenger volumes still below pre­ September 11th levels, timing for implementation of airport ferry services in the near term depends on renewed growth in air passenger volumes and interest by private ferry operators. The

60 Lower Manhattan Transportation Strategies

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