An ‘Airport Station’ Marks Homestretch for Megaproject
Major elements of the Port Authority of New York and New Jerseys $1.9-billion AirTrain project are nearing completion. The light-rail cars, delayed by a year due to a fatal accident, will begin service to John F. Kennedy International Airport before this years end. And the last major segment of the job, a light-rail station in Jamaica, Queens, is expected to wrap up in November.
In Jamaica, the glass-and-steel-enclosed, four-story AirTrain station, about 400 ft long, 30 ft wide and 40 ft high, is evolving into a remote airline check-in location. "When you arrive there, you will feel like youre arriving at the airport," says Bob Davidson, port authority architect. The agency is negotiating with potential airline tenants for the 16 baggage check-in counters planned for build-out. "We have enough back-of-house space to deal with security," Davidson adds, referring to future updates to federal baggage screening requirements.