A people mover or automated people mover ( APM ) is a type of small scale automated guideway transit system. The term is generally used only to describe systems serving relatively small areas such as airports, downtown districts or theme parks.
158-446: AirTrain LaGuardia was a proposed 1.5-mile-long (2.4 km) people mover system and elevated railway in New York City , United States , that would provide service to LaGuardia Airport in Queens . It would have connected with the New York City Subway and Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) in Willets Point , similar to how the existing AirTrain JFK system connects John F. Kennedy International Airport 's five terminals to
316-406: A Hard Rock Hotel –themed Integrated Resort which would include a casino. It would also include cultural amenities, restaurants, shopping, and park space. In May 2024, state senator Jessica Ramos stated she would not introduce legislation to help get the project approved. The layout of Flushing Meadows–Corona Park retains much of Gilmore D. Clarke and Michael Rapuano's Beaux-Arts planning from
474-529: A 1,500-foot (460 m) pipe across Northern Boulevard, before being deposited onto the wetlands. The filling for the north meadow was complete in 1916. The prospect of creating a port was halted in 1917 by material restrictions caused by World War I , and a lack of federal support for the project. Industrial activities in the borough were fulfilled by existing terminals in Long Island City, Maspeth , Flushing, and College Point. Dumping of ash into
632-642: A boat house, one of two structures that remain from the 1939 World's Fair, the other being the Queens Museum . Rental boats are available at the boathouse for rowing and paddleboating, and Meadow Lake is also the site of rowing activities for non-profit Row New York , with teams practicing on the lake for much of the year. Meadow Lake also hosts the annual Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival in New York , and teams from New York practice in Meadow Lake during
790-400: A continuous double track along the northern and eastern sides of the exhibition, with reversing loops at either end. The carriages ran on two parallel concrete beams and were guided by pulleys running on the inner side of these concrete beams, and were propelled by gripping a revolving screw thread running between the tracks in a pit; by adjusting the pitch of this thread at different points,
948-507: A dumping ground for ashes, since at the time, the land was so far away from the developed parts of New York City as to be considered almost worthless. New York City Parks Commissioner Robert Moses first conceived the idea of developing a large park in Flushing Meadow in the 1920s as part of a system of parks across eastern Queens. Flushing Meadows–Corona Park was created as the site of the 1939 New York World's Fair and also hosted
1106-542: A farmhouse on the site of the modern World's Fair Marina was used as a headquarters for British forces. By the 1800s, primitive roads were established crossing the meadows, running along what are now Northern Boulevard and the Long Island Expressway . Several railroads were also laid through the site, including lines of the Flushing and North Side Railroad (today's LIRR Port Washington Branch and
1264-545: A gift to airport travelers, of all people." The Village Voice called the project an "unmitigated disaster" for its convoluted, unwieldy route, and asked, "Why would [Cuomo] build [the AirTrain's] terminal at Willets Point, which is even further from the city than the airport itself?" One alternative suggestion involved the previously rejected proposal to extend the Astoria Line to LaGuardia Airport rather than building
1422-512: A group of traditionalist Catholics started to assemble at the old Vatican Pavilion exedra monument of the 1964 New York World's Fair to have evening rosary prayer vigils, having been obligated to relocate from Bayside, Queens . This was led by a woman named Veronica Lueken who claimed she was experiencing visions there of the Virgin Mary , and giving out supposed messages from heaven, frequently apocalyptic in nature. At its height in
1580-709: A living; what we give, however, makes a life." In January 2022, sculptor Sherwin Banfield unveiled Going Back to the Meadows , a statue of Queens–born rapper LL Cool J . Located in David Dinkins Circle, the installation depicted him in a Kangol bucket hat and Cuban link chain, holding up a solar-powered boombox loaded with a cassette of his 1985 debut album, Radio . The sculpture, which remained through November 2022, featured speakers that were timed to play LL Cool J's music for five hours on several days of
1738-502: A local group, the Waterfront Alliance, a $ 530,000 grant to study the effects of climate change at Flushing Meadows–Corona Park after U.S. representative Grace Meng had requested the grant the previous year. The park was extremely vulnerable to flooding because of its topography and because of sea level rise caused by global warming . Climate scientists had predicted that parts of the park would be flooded regularly by
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#17327733169511896-820: A maximum of $ 5–6. Another food festival, the World's Fare, started in 2017 and is hosted in Citi Field's parking lot on about the third weekend of May. Restoration of the New York State Pavilion began in 2019, as did work on the Fountains of the Fairs. The Fountains of the Fairs were dedicated in October 2020. In early 2022, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) gave
2054-600: A metro (e.g. Rennes , Lausanne , Brescia , etc.) are now doing so. On September 30, 2006, the Peachliner in Komaki , Aichi Prefecture , Japan, became that nation's first people mover to cease operations. Many large international airports around the world feature people mover systems to transport passengers between terminals or within a terminal itself. Some people mover systems at airports connect with other public transportation systems to allow passengers to travel into
2212-556: A mile-long section of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway into a dedicated bus lane . According to Janette Sadik-Khan , one of the three panelists, the enhanced bus service would cost $ 500 million. The proposal had been strongly criticized by transit advocates as being slower than existing transit modes and likely to increase loads on the 7 and <7> trains, which already operate at full capacity. This would have been alleviated somewhat by
2370-587: A plan to restore the New York State Pavilion, as well as the construction of a "mist garden" in the park's Fountains of the Fairs. Other projects included the construction of a promenade around Meadow Lake and the rehabilitation of the World's Fair Playground and the marina. In 2015, Flushing Meadows–Corona Park also started hosting the Queens Night Market , a summertime food market that features cuisine from dozens of countries. The market became popular due to its affordability, since all food cost
2528-546: A plan to turn the ash dump into a recreational complex, and presented them to Queens Borough President George U. Harvey . In 1930, Moses released plans for numerous parks and highways in the city. This included the Grand Central Parkway , the construction of which would require taking land from the ash dumps. One of the provisional projects listed was a "Flushing River Park", along with a "Flushing River Parkway". The Brooklyn Ash Removal Company's contract with
2686-699: A salt marsh after the ice melted. Prior to glaciation, the Flushing River valley was used by the Hudson River to drain southward into the Atlantic Ocean . Through the 19th century, the site continued to consist of wetlands straddling Flushing River. Species inhabiting the site included waterfowl and fiddler crab , with fish using water pools for spawning. The area was first settled by Algonquian Native Americans of Long Island (referred to erroneously as " Mantinecocks "). They consisted of
2844-613: A similar mass-transit airport link. Rick Cotton , executive of the Port Authority, said in an opinion article in the New York Daily News : "Let's stop talking about the red herring of 'doubling back' and focus on choosing the best route based on real issues, including the impact on neighborhoods, disruptions to highways, rail and utilities, and passenger experience, as well as cost." In 2020, a group of former New York City transportation commissioners wrote an op-ed in
3002-415: A system known as Cabinentaxi during the 1970s. Cabinentaxi featured small cars with from four to eight seats that were called to pick up passengers on-demand and drove directly to their destination. The stations were "offline", allowing the cabs to stop by moving off the main lines while other cars continued to their destinations. The system was designed so the cars could be adapted to run on top or bottom of
3160-570: A taxi or car service, but only 16% rode a bus or van. The New York metropolitan area's other two major airports have rail connections. AirTrain Newark , the monorail at Newark Liberty International Airport , opened in 1996, has connected that airport to commuter trains since 2000. AirTrain JFK, the people mover at JFK Airport, opened in 2003. AirTrain LaGuardia was proposed to be a people mover like
3318-422: A track network with off-line stations, and supply near non-stop service to passengers. These taxi-like systems are more usually referred to as personal rapid transit (PRT). Larger systems, with vehicles with 20 to 40 passengers, are sometimes referred to as "group rapid transit" (GRT), although this term is not particularly common. Other complex APMs have similar characteristics to rapid transit systems, and there
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#17327733169513476-526: A western lobe from the main part of the northern half, while the east-west Jewel Avenue bisects the southern half. The success of the Flushing Meadows site as a garbage dump-turned-park led Moses and the city to develop other wetlands in the city into parks via short-term refuse landfilling. This process was used to create Marine Park and Spring Creek Park in Brooklyn, and Ferry Point Park in
3634-639: A while after the 1964 Fair's conclusion but were subsequently demolished. This included the Travel and Transportation Pavilion, destroyed in 1967 after a failed conversion to a fire station , and the United States Pavilion , demolished in 1977 after great deterioration. One such parcel became the site of the Playground for All Children, one of the first playgrounds designed to include handicapped-accessible activities. The design competition for
3792-482: A woman who had been sitting with her partner at the nearby Mets–Willets Point subway station . Several improvements were made to Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in the 2000s and 2010s. The Flushing Meadows–Corona Park Conservancy was formed in 2002 to advocate for parkland in the area. The $ 66.3 million Flushing Meadows Corona Park Aquatics Center , encompassing an Olympic-sized public indoor pool and an NHL regulation-sized skating rink, opened in 2008. The facility
3950-513: A working title for a new attraction, the PeopleMover . According to Imagineer Bob Gurr , "the name got stuck," and it was no longer a working title. Starting in the late 1960s and into the 1970s, people movers were the topic of intense development around the world. Worried about the growing congestion and pollution in downtown areas due to the spread of cars, many countries started studying mass transit systems that would lower capital costs to
4108-767: Is located just outside the park grounds, serving the Hall of Science. The Q48 , Q58 , Q64 and Q88 buses all travel through the park, but only the Q48 stops within the park perimeter, serving Citi Field and the USTA. The Q58 and Q88 stop outside either side of the park and cross the park via the Horace Harding Expressway, while the Q64 crosses the park along Jewel Avenue/69th Road. The fictional "Valley of Ashes" in F. Scott Fitzgerald 's novel The Great Gatsby (1925)
4266-440: Is named for the many species of willow plants which inhabit the area. Invasive phragmites , a genus of wild grasses, are also abundant. Attempts to kill the phragmites with pesticides have led to further fish kill. Numerous berry-producing trees and shrubs near Willow Lake attract several migratory bird species. The biodiversity of the lakes has been found to be much lower than other water bodies of comparable size. Near
4424-499: Is no clear cut distinction between a complex APM of this type and an automated mass transit system. Another term " light metro " is also applied to describe the system worldwide. One of the first automated systems for human transportation was the screw-driven 'Never-Stop-Railway', constructed for the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley , London in 1924. This railway consisted of 88 unmanned carriages, on
4582-611: Is owned and maintained by New York City Department of Parks and Recreation , also known as NYC Parks. Private, non-profit groups such as the Flushing Meadows–Corona Park Conservancy and the Alliance for Flushing Meadows–Corona Park provide additional funds, services, and support. The park is at the eastern edge of the area encompassed by Queens Community Board 4 . The park is named after the nearby neighborhoods of Flushing and Corona , which are separated by
4740-447: Is the largest recreation complex in any New York City park, at 110,000 square feet (10,000 m ). This was followed by the opening of Citi Field , a new baseball field to replace Shea Stadium, in 2009. Another public-private partnership, the Alliance for Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, was created in 2015. It commenced construction on, or announced plans for, several improvement projects at Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. These included
4898-649: The 1964 New York World's Fair . Following the 1964 fair, the park fell into disrepair, although some improvements have taken place since the 1990s and 2000s. Flushing Meadows–Corona Park retains much of the layout from the 1939 World's Fair. Its attractions include the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center , the venue for the US Open tennis tournament; Citi Field , the home of the New York Mets baseball team;
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5056-506: The Brooklyn Dodgers , until the franchise moved to Los Angeles in 1958. A racing circuit to host a Formula One grand prix event was proposed for New York City, with one of the potential circuits to be built around Meadow Lake, first for the 1975 season , and later for the 1983 season . The plans were opposed by the local community and environmental groups, and the race was postponed and ultimately canceled by 1985. One of
5214-604: The Casey Stengel Bus Depot was to have been relocated. $ 50 million was allocated in the 2015–2019 MTA Capital Program to acquire property for a replacement depot. A rail link to LaGuardia Airport had been proposed since 1943, when the city Board of Transportation proposed an extension of the New York City Subway 's BMT Astoria Line (currently served by the N and W trains) from its terminus at Ditmars Boulevard . This
5372-498: The Daily News in which they strongly supported the final AirTrain LaGuardia proposal. The commissioners wrote that the final proposal was the only viable option, saying that "the envisioned one-seat ride was never really one-seat" and that LaGuardia Airport was the only major New York City area airport without a train connection. People mover The term was originally applied to three different systems, developed roughly at
5530-526: The Erie Railroad to the Hudson and Manhattan Tubes . This unit was 227 feet (69 m) long with a rise of 22 feet (6.7 m) on a 15 degree grade , and only cost $ 75,000. A Carveyor consisted of many small cubicles or cars carrying ten people riding on a flat conveyor belt from point A to point B. The belt rode on a series of motorized rollers. The purpose of the motorized rollers was to facilitate
5688-770: The Great Depression . Areas of the dumps were also used for growing vegetables, with the soil fertilized by the garbage and manure. In 1935, the site, now planned as "Flushing Meadow Park", was selected for what would become the 1939 World's Fair. In addition to the ash dumps and undeveloped meadows, houses in Corona east of 111th Street, adjacent to the dumps, were condemned and added to the site, displacing residents. The plans were drafted by Parks Department landscape architect Gilmore David Clarke and his partner Michael Rapuano, designed in Beaux-Arts style. Work on
5846-611: The Mets–Willets Point station and with the Long Island Rail Road 's Mets–Willets Point station. The AirTrain trip would have taken 6 minutes, and the LIRR ride to Manhattan would have taken another 20 minutes. The Mets-Willets Point subway stop would have been rebuilt, and $ 50 million had been allocated toward planning and designing this work in the 2015–2019 MTA Capital Program. Also as part of that Capital Program,
6004-479: The New York City Board of Transportation , had several meetings with a group of architects who were trying to revamp the whole New York City Subway system in the heart of town to connect Pennsylvania Station, Madison Square Garden , Times Square, Grand Central and several new office complexes together. Several of these architects were involved in other programs, and in later years many variations of
6162-485: The New York City Subway 's 7 and <7> trains at the Mets–Willets Point station and, via an existing passenger bridge, with the Long Island Rail Road 's Mets–Willets Point station on the Port Washington Branch . The governor's office estimated the cost for the project to be $ 450 million, which later increased to $ 1.5 billion. Unlike the other proposed AirTrain routings,
6320-786: The New York Hall of Science ; the Queens Museum ; the Queens Theatre in the Park ; the Queens Zoo ; the Unisphere ; and the New York State Pavilion . It formerly contained Shea Stadium , demolished in 2009. The Flushing River continues to run through the park, and two large lakes called Meadow and Willow Lakes take up much of the park's area south of the Long Island Expressway . Flushing Meadows–Corona Park
6478-525: The New York Mets since 2009, sits at the far north end of the park. Shea Stadium , the Mets' previous home and prior host to the New York Jets football team, once stood adjacent to the area now hosting Citi Field . In addition to the existing stadiums, several other sports venues have been proposed for the park. In the 1950s, Flushing Meadows was one of several proposed sites for the relocation of
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6636-613: The New York State Legislature approved a law for the AirTrain LaGuardia project. This allowed the PANYNJ to start acquiring public land for the AirTrain's route, as well as for environmental impact studies to be conducted. Under the original plan, the AirTrain would start construction in 2020 and be complete by 2022. The Port Authority subsequently began environmental studies for three possible routings of
6794-478: The Panorama . The remainder of the park, meanwhile, had fallen into disrepair, with wild animals moving back into the area. Only minor upgrades to the park occurred during this time. The Flushing Meadows site was selected in 1959 as the site of the 1964 World's Fair. Gilmore D. Clarke and Michael Rapuano were retained to tailor the original 1939 park layout for the new fair. Three structures were retained from
6952-645: The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ), which operates the airport, and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). In 2015, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a plan to build a people mover similar to the AirTrain JFK, and in 2018, the New York State Legislature approved a law for the AirTrain LaGuardia project. Construction was to begin in 2021, with a projected opening in 2024; however,
7110-529: The Steinway subway tunnel (used by today's 7 and <7> trains), purchased large tracts of marsh near Flushing Creek. At the time, the land was considered "all but worthless". Degnon envisioned using the site to create a large industrial port around Flushing Bay , similar to a terminal he developed in Long Island City . By 1911, Degnon had created a plan along with
7268-655: The United States Department of War and the Queens Topographical Bureau. The plan envisioned widening Flushing River and creating docks for ships, with numerous factories and freight facilities. Meanwhile, the residential areas of Corona were expected to become the primary residence for factory workers. To create the port, beginning in 1910 Degnon proceeded to fill the land using household coal ash and street sweepings from Brooklyn. Degnon set up two companies of his own, one of which
7426-489: The automation of trains on the IRT Flushing Line , which would have allowed more 7 and <7> trains to run every hour. However, the proposed AirTrain transfer at Willets Point would have been 20 stations away from the 34th Street–Hudson Yards station, the western terminus of the 7 and <7> trains (10 stations away via the rush-hour peak-direction express). It
7584-581: The "Canarsee" and "Rockaway" Lenape groups, which inhabited coastal wetlands across Queens and Brooklyn. Beginning in 1640, Dutch settlers moved into the area, establishing the town of Newtown to the west of the site (which would become Elmhurst , Corona , and other areas in western Queens), and the town of Flushing to the east. The meadows became known as the Corona Meadows. By 1666, the Native American population had been displaced from
7742-638: The "Porpoise Bridge" or "Tide Gate Bridge", located just south of the Long Island Rail Road 's Port Washington Branch trestle, at the north end of the Flushing Meadows Golf Center. The dam only permits northward flows towards Flushing Bay to pass, while blocking south-flowing waters. As its name implies, the dam also acts as a bridge, carrying pedestrian and vehicular traffic over the creek. It measures 37 feet (11 m) wide and 370 feet (110 m) long. The lakes are fed by groundwater . Prior to human development, Flushing Meadows
7900-442: The 1920s. At the time, he envisioned the site to become a "true ' Central Park '", especially with much of city population moving to Queens and Long Island due to urban sprawl . Moses also planned Flushing Meadows to be the westernmost of a chain of parks running across Queens, which would include Kissena Park , Cunningham Park , Alley Pond Park , and Douglaston Park . In 1929, representatives from surrounding communities created
8058-471: The 1939 Fair, Meadow Lake was temporarily named "Fountain Lake" and "Liberty Lake". The land around Meadow Lake contains much of the park's true "parkland", with open grass, picnic and grilling areas, and baseball and cricket fields. During the fairs, the land on the north shore and part of the eastern shore of the lake was used as an amusement area, with large parking lots added on the east and west shores for
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#17327733169518216-492: The 1939 Fair. Meanwhile, several new structures and attractions were built for the 1964 fair, including the Unisphere , Shea Stadium , the New York Hall of Science , and Queens Botanical Garden . The Unisphere, built as the theme symbol for the 1964/1965 World's Fair, has since become the main sculptural feature of the park. It stands on the site occupied by the Perisphere during the earlier Fair. The Van Wyck Expressway
8374-463: The 1939 and 1964 World's Fairs. Flushing Meadows–Corona Park is the fourth-largest public park in New York City . It was long believed to be 1,255 acres (508 ha) in size, but a survey concluded in 2013 found its actual size to be 897 acres (363 ha) when accounting for major roads and other exclusions within the park's perimeter. This does not take into account a disputed claim that
8532-405: The 1964 Fair. The lots were removed and converted to parkland after the 1964 Fair. The Willow Lake area of the park is a nature reserve . The area around Willow Lake originally also contained sports fields and park trails, until it was fenced off and turned into a preserve in 1976. The park is entirely circumscribed by highways constructed by Robert Moses. Its eastern boundary is formed by
8690-516: The 2050s and that the entire park could be underwater by the 2080s. At the time, the city government was spending $ 350 million on various upgrades at the park. By mid-2023, the New York City government was considering erecting tents in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park to temporarily house asylum seekers. The park had also become popular with Queens's large Latin-American population, who frequently played soccer there. The first phase of
8848-735: The AirTrain LGA would be opened by 2026. In June, the project was set for further review by the FAA after complaints that other options were not properly explored. The public provided 4,200 comments on the proposed Airtrain LGA before the FAA approved the project in July 2021. Several environmental lawsuits sued the FAA in September 2021, prompting the FAA to consider delaying the project. When Kathy Hochul succeeded Cuomo as governor in late 2021, critics of
9006-473: The AirTrain at JFK because of a monetary dispute between the state, city, and Port Authority. Giuliani wanted the Port Authority to study the possibility of extending the BMT Astoria Line to LaGuardia Airport, among other things. Later that year, Giuliani agreed to the AirTrain JFK plan, and the Port Authority agreed to conduct a feasibility study on a similar LaGuardia rail link. In 2003, $ 645 million
9164-615: The AirTrain plan. The AirTrain LGA project was canceled in March 2023 after the project's budget had increased to $ 2.4 billion, over five times the original $ 450 million estimate. The decision came after a panel of three transportation experts recommended that the frequency of the Q70 bus be increased and that the PANYNJ operate a shuttle bus route from the airport to the Astoria–Ditmars Boulevard station . The panel also suggested turning
9322-443: The AirTrain to Willets Point, as well as the no-build alternative. Some residents and environmental groups opposed the project and requested results from the EIS upon its completion. Environmental groups worried that the AirTrain's construction would pollute Flushing Bay, which had just been cleaned at that point. A subsequent proposal to route the AirTrain over the waterfront was also met with opposition. Cuomo announced in May 2019 that
9480-429: The AirTrain to Willets Point. Another critic called the $ 2.05 billion estimated construction cost "exorbitant" and proposed dedicated busways as a more direct and cost-effective solution. In January 2020, U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , who represents Jackson Heights and East Elmhurst, wrote to the FAA asking why 46 alternatives were rejected and noting that over 60% of the 414 public comments collected by
9638-430: The Al Oerter Recreation Center, which also opened in 2008. Some 1964 World's Fair buildings remained in use after the fair. The Flushing Meadows Carousel , opened as part of the 1964 Fair, operates in the northwestern part of the park. The New York Hall of Science at the park's northern corner, founded during the 1964 World's Fair, still operates in its original location. The New York State Pavilion , constructed as
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#17327733169519796-412: The Bronx —would be longer for passengers using the AirTrain than for passengers using existing transit services already offered by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority." A writer from Slate called the project itself "dumb," saying that the project was a pet project for Cuomo and an "egregious misuse of money and initiative, in a city whose everyday transit functions are at capacity, to extend such
9954-415: The Bronx. This was also the original plan for the Fresh Kills and Edgemere landfills, which remained open past their expected tenure and became large and long-term municipal waste sites. The Fresh Kills site was developed into Freshkills Park in the early 21st century. In November 1939, a water main running through Flushing Meadows Park to supply water to Flushing failed. Unlike the fair buildings,
10112-405: The Carveyor people movers were developed. In November 1954 the New York City Transit Authority issued an order to Goodyear and Stephens-Adamson to build a complete Carveyor system between Times Square and Grand Central. A brief summary and confirmation can be found in Time magazine on November 15, 1954. under the heading "Subway of the Future". The cost was to be under $ 4 million, but the order
10270-414: The City of New York , an enormous scale model of the entire city. It is one of two buildings that survive from the 1939/40 Fair, and the only one that remains in its original location. (The other is the Belgium exhibition building , disassembled and moved to the campus of Virginia Union University in 1941. ) It is now the home of the Queens Museum of Art , which still houses, and occasionally updates,
10428-428: The Downtown People Mover Program. Four systems were developed, Rohr 's ROMAG , LTV 's AirTrans , Ford 's APT and Otis Elevator 's hovercraft design. A major presentation of the systems was organized as TRANSPO'72 at Dulles International Airport , where the various systems were presented to delegations from numerous cities in the US. Prototype systems and test tracks were built during the 1970s. One notable example
10586-463: The FAA were in opposition to the proposed routing. Hiram Monserrate , the area's Democratic District Leader, also objected that the FAA's approval had bypassed a Uniform Land Use Review Procedure analysis, as would have been mandated for other large projects. The same month, residents and business owners along the AirTrain's proposed route protested against the construction of the AirTrain on that route. Many government officials and advocates supported
10744-410: The Flushing Meadows site by European settlers, although a deed reserved the right to hunt on the land for the Native Americans. Several wealthy landowners began building farmhouses on the site in the mid-to-late 17th century. The meadows provided numerous natural resources for settlers, including timber, water, fertile soil, and grass and hay for grazing domestic animals. During the American Revolution ,
10902-458: The Industrial Products Division of Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. , if Goodyear had ever considered working on People Movers. He felt that with Goodyear's ability to move materials in large quantities on conveyor belts they should consider moving batches of people. Four years of engineering design, development and testing led to a joint patent being issued for three types of people movers, named Speedwalk, Speedramp, and Carveyor. Goodyear would sell
11060-444: The LIRR at Jamaica Station , and then proceed nonstop down the Van Wyck Expressway to JFK Airport. The Port Authority seriously considered the proposal, commissioning an environmental impact statement (EIS) for the rail link. However, due to rising costs, the Port Authority canceled the direct rail link between LaGuardia/JFK and Manhattan in May 1995. Prior to the construction of AirTrain JFK in 1997, Mayor Rudy Giuliani opposed
11218-425: The LIRR in southern Queens at Jamaica station and to the subway at both Sutphin Boulevard–Archer Avenue–JFK Airport station and Howard Beach–JFK Airport station ; and how the existing AirTrain Newark station connects Newark Liberty International Airport 's three terminals to NJ Transit Rail Operations and Amtrak at a dedicated station . The system was to have been constructed and operated under contract to
11376-475: The LIRR stop was to have been rebuilt for $ 75 million. The subway station and the LIRR station were to have been integrated with nearby buses as part of the overhaul for greater intermodal connectivity. The station was planned to potentially hold ancillary airport functions, employee parking, and a Consolidated Rent-a-Car facility. To allow the construction of the Willets Point AirTrain station,
11534-580: The MTA would partially pay for the AirTrain's construction. By late 2019, the Port Authority was planning to award contracts for the AirTrain in 2021, with the line opening in 2024. The Federal Aviation Administration released a draft EIS and opened public comments for the project in August 2020. In March 2021, the FAA released their final EIS on the project; at the time, work was supposed to commence in June 2021 and
11692-518: The New York Jets rejected a plan to take over the proposed stadium. In the 2010s, a Major League Soccer stadium was proposed in the park after MLS founded New York City FC , the New York area's second soccer team. After examining several sites in the New York area, New York City FC finally decided on building its proposed stadium in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park by 2016, deeming the park as
11850-588: The New York State Pavilion's renovation was finished in 2023, with a second phase planned to be completed in 2025. New York state officials announced in April 2022 that they would issue three casino licenses in Downstate New York . Following this announcement, in 2023, New York Mets owner Steven A. Cohen proposed a redevelopment of the parking lot west of Citi Field . The proposed development would be known as Metropolitan Park and would feature
12008-528: The PANYNJ announced that it had opened a four-week-long request for proposals . The firm that is awarded the RFP would design three AirTrain stations—two inside the airport's new terminals and one at Willets Point—as well as plan the right of way from Willets Point to the airport. In May 2017, WSP USA was hired to design the AirTrain. The PANYNJ awarded another $ 55 million to the project in November 2017, bringing
12166-525: The United States. Driverless metros have become common in Europe and parts of Asia. The economics of automated trains tend to reduce the scale so tied to "mass" transit (the largest operating expense is the driver's salary, which is only affordable if very large numbers of passengers are paying fares), so that small-scale installations are feasible . Thus cities normally thought of as too small to build
12324-702: The Van Wyck Expressway (I-678). The south and west ends of the park are bound by the Grand Central Parkway , with the Kew Gardens Interchange situated at the southernmost point. The northern edge of the park is bound by the expressway portion of Northern Boulevard ( New York State Route 25A ) which connects the Grand Central and the Whitestone Expressway. The park is bisected by the Long Island Expressway , at
12482-524: The Willets Point route was to be located on government-owned land and would not require capture of private property . The first contracts for the AirTrain itself were awarded in May 2016. A pair of contracts, totaling $ 7.5 million, were awarded for preliminary engineering work at the two Willets Point stations and expected to be completed in 2017. One contract, costing $ 4.6 million and awarded to STV Inc,
12640-790: The Willow Lake nature preserve. The 78th Avenue gate to the lake remains shuttered and inaccessible despite being the closest gate to the Kew Gardens–Union Turnpike subway station. The chronic lack of maintenance of this portion of the trail has led to ordinary residents to resort to clearing the trail itself. The trail is officially named the Pat Dolan Trail, commemorating the Flushing Meadows-Corona Park Conservancy's founder. The many recreational playing fields and playgrounds in
12798-405: The World's Fair site began on June 16, 1936. The project primarily involved leveling the ash mounds, with the leftover material used to fill other areas of the meadow. Two sites were excavated to create Meadow and Willow Lake, while much of the Flushing River was diverted into underground culverts . A floodgate was built to prevent tidal flow from flooding the lakes. In addition to recreation,
12956-484: The airport's city. [REDACTED] Media related to People movers at Wikimedia Commons Flushing Meadows%E2%80%93Corona Park Flushing Meadows–Corona Park (often referred to as Flushing Meadows Park or simply Flushing Meadows ) is a public park in the northern part of Queens in New York City , New York, U.S. It is bounded by I-678 (Van Wyck Expressway) on the east, Grand Central Parkway on
13114-902: The alternate sites, the Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey, would host the Meadowlands Grand Prix Champ Car event in 1984. Also in the 1980s, the New Jersey Generals of the United States Football League (USFL) proposed to relocate to the park, with a new stadium to be built in Willets Point adjacent to Shea Stadium. The plans dissolved when the USFL folded in 1985. Shortly afterwards,
13272-424: The approximate south end of the former Corona Ash Dumps, which separate the northern and southern halves of the park. Jewel Avenue and its interchange with the Grand Central further separate the southern section into two halves, with Meadow Lake to the north of Jewel Avenue and Willow Lake to the south. Access to the park is limited due to a lack of public transportation reaching many areas of the site, and presence of
13430-421: The ash was 30 feet (9.1 m). The dumps drew the ire of local residents, due to strong odors and being deemed unsightly, along with increasing rat infestations in the local neighborhoods. Much of the "street sweepings" collected consisted of horse manure from horse-drawn carriages. In addition, many residents simply threw out normal garbage along with the coal ashes. The meadows were also considered one of
13588-470: The carriages could be sped up, or slowed down to a walking pace at stations, to allow passengers to join and leave. The railway ran reliably for the two years of the exhibition, and was then dismantled. In late 1949, Mike Kendall, chief engineer and Chairman of the Board of Stephens-Adamson Manufacturing Company, an Illinois-based manufacturer of conveyor belts and systems , asked Al Neilson, an engineer in
13746-521: The city expired in 1933, and the city took over the company's assets and operations on May 25, 1934. The Brooklyn Ash property occupied around 300 acres (120 ha) of the 1,000-acre (400 ha) site, north of what is now the Long Island Expressway. The remainder of the meadows still contained natural wildlife. It was frequented by fur trappers, local residents collecting firewood and growing vegetables, and later, squatters during
13904-577: The concept and Stephens-Adamson would manufacture and install the components. A Speedwalk consisted of a flat conveyor belt riding on a series of rollers, or a flat slippery surface, moving at 1.5 mph (2.4 km/h) (approximately half the speed of walking). The passengers would walk onto the belt and could stand or walk to the exit point. They were supported by a moving handrail . Customers were expected to include airport terminals , ballparks , train stations , etc. Today, several manufacturers produce similar units called moving walkways . A Speedramp
14062-690: The defunct Whitestone Branch ). Shortly after the American Civil War , the meadows became a waterfront resort due to its natural beauty, and affluent New Yorkers constructed homes in the area. British saloon-keeper Harry Hill built the Flushing Bay Hotel and Pavilion on the future marina site. Around 1907, contractor Michael Degnon, whose firm constructed the Williamsburg Bridge , the Cape Cod Canal , and
14220-541: The fair ground layout. The proposal was rejected however, due to concerns over the strength of the former marshland for building construction, the lack of "scenic beauty" in the meadows, and the distance from Manhattan. The UN moved to their now-permanent headquarters in 1951. The New York City building was later refurbished for the 1964/1965 Fair as the New York City Pavilion, featuring the Panorama of
14378-539: The fair grounds, housing the New York Hall of Science and the Queens Zoo ), the "Recreation & Garden Botanical Area" (extending east of the fair grounds along the Kissena Creek corridor, housing the Queens Botanical Garden ), the "Historic World's Fair Core Area", Meadow Lake, and Willow Lake. The two lakes and the remainder of Flushing Creek are separated by a flood gate or dam called
14536-487: The fair site in order to create a natural landscape. Meanwhile, thousands of 100-foot (30 m) Douglas fir timbers were driven into the ground to act as pilings for the foundations of the fair structures. The pedestrian plan called for numerous wide tree-lined pathways, including a central "Cascade Mall" leading to the Trylon and Perisphere , many of which would be retained for the park. Faced with having to dispose of
14694-583: The fair. In the meantime, some of the buildings from the 1939 Fair were used for the first temporary headquarters of the United Nations beginning in 1946. The former New York City Building was used for the UN General Assembly during this time. Moses attempted to sell Flushing Meadows as a permanent headquarters for the UN, which would have required new structures and a complete redesign of
14852-524: The gradual acceleration and deceleration speeds on the conveyor belt and overcome the tendency of all belts to stretch at start up and during shutdown. At point "A" passengers would enter a Speedwalk running parallel to the belts and cars of the Carveyor. The cars would be moving at the same speed as the Speedwalk; the passengers would enter the cars and be seated, while the motorized rollers would increase
15010-487: The highways at the perimeters of the park separating the site from local neighborhoods. The park also has very few formal entrances from local neighborhoods; this is a vestige of the World's Fairs, where access was controlled. Studies by various groups have separated the park into a different number of sections. A study by the Columbia Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation divides
15168-677: The immaturity of the technology and other factors, led the Port Authority to abandon the project and pursue alternatives. By the start of the 1980s most politicians had lost interest in the concept and the project was repeatedly de-funded in the early 1980s. Only two APMs were developed as a part of the People Mover Program in the U.S., the Metromover in Miami , and the Detroit People Mover . The Jacksonville Skyway
15326-460: The introduced 10-year $ 29.5 billion plan for the Port Authority. New York Commissioner Kenneth Lipper tried to have the plan amended with all funding for the AirTrain removed, citing concerns that the project would leave the agency in financial difficulty. In January 2017, the PANYNJ released its 10-year capital plan that included AirTrain LaGuardia funding. Construction is projected to start in 2019, with passenger service in 2023. On February 6, 2017,
15484-462: The lakes would serve as repositories for excess storm runoff. The dirt from the lake sites was used as additional topsoil for the park. The project was an around-the-clock job, with 450 workers operating on three daily shifts. Workers had to combat the effects of high tide, and dust storms created by the ash. The work significantly changed the topography of the meadows, differing from that created by glaciation. Thousands of trees were transplanted to
15642-526: The lakes. The regular tidal action that would filter the lakes is prevented by the dam. In addition, the lakes are subject to pollution and storm runoff from the nearby highways, via pipes which feed into the lakes. Because of its connection with Flushing Bay, several fish species native to marine habitats regularly swim into and inhabit Meadow and Willow Lakes. Fish species native to Meadow Lake include American eel , largemouth bass , northern snakehead (an invasive species), and white mullet . Willow Lake
15800-655: The late 20th century, thousands of people attended the nightly events, held on different feast days . One event in June 1983 attracted fifteen thousand pilgrims. Despite the events' popularity, Bishop Francis Mugavero , then Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn , stated in a 1986 "Declaration Concerning the Bayside Movement" that the events lacked credibility. After Lueken's death in 1995, and her husband's death in 2002, their followers divided into two small camps that continued to visit
15958-509: The meadows continued, however, fueled by the increased use of garbage incinerators in the city. The area became known as the Corona Dump or Corona Ash Dumps. During nearly 30 years of filling, around 50 million cubic yards of ash and waste were dumped onto the meadows site. One particular mound of ash rose 90 feet (27 m) high and was called "Mount Corona". Other mounds rose 40–50 feet (12–15 m) high. The average thickness of
16116-527: The mountains of ashes, Moses incorporated a significant portion of the refuse into the bases of several roadways that bordered or bisected the park. This included the Van Wyck Expressway ( Interstate 678 ) running along the eastern side of the park, the nearby Interboro Parkway (now Jackie Robinson Parkway ), and the Long Island Expressway ( Interstate 495 ) that divides the park into north and south halves. The Grand Central Parkway separates
16274-427: The neighborhood of Willets Point , along the north edge of the park, is itself part of the park. The northern section of the park, the former fair grounds, revolves around large paved pathways which during the fairs led to focal points such as pavilions, fountains and sculptures. The Trylon and Perisphere , and later Unisphere, were placed at the main axial point. The Unisphere and Queens Museum currently sit at
16432-417: The north shore of Long Island . During glaciation, what is now Flushing Meadows Park was formed just north of the terminal moraine that runs across Long Island, which consisted of sand, gravel, clay and boulders. The moraine created a drainage divide , with rivers north of the moraine such as the future Flushing River emptying into the north shore. The Flushing Meadows site became a glacial lake, and then
16590-403: The northern end of the park, adjacent to Willets Point is the "Sport Center" zone, where the US Open tennis tournament is held. In 2006, the tennis center was named USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center after professional tennis player Billie Jean King . Its center court is Arthur Ashe Stadium , and its secondary stadium court is Louis Armstrong Stadium . Citi Field , the home of
16748-482: The one at JFK. As planned, the AirTrain LaGuardia would have run from LaGuardia Airport with two stops within the airport, before running over the Grand Central Parkway for 1.5 miles (2.4 km) before terminating in Willets Point near Citi Field and Flushing Meadows–Corona Park , and would have connected there with the New York City Subway 's 7 and <7> trains at
16906-576: The only viable location for a stadium. The stadium, which would have been located on the site of the Pool of Industry/Fountain of the Planets, was heavily opposed by the community, which forced the team to change its plans and play at Yankee Stadium . In November 2022, New York City and NYCFC agreed to build a 25,000-seat stadium, Etihad Park , in Willets Point adjacent to Citi Field; it is expected to be completed in 2027. The park's Meadow Lake contains
17064-549: The park are used for activities that reflect the wide ethnic mix of Queens; soccer and cricket are especially popular. New York Road Runners also hosts a weekly 3.30-mile (5.31 km) Open Run. as well as an annual 6.2-mile (10.0 km) 10K run . By the 2020s, the park had eight playgrounds and a skate park. Near the northeast corner of the park are the Flushing Meadows Corona Park Aquatics Center , which opened in 2008, and
17222-686: The park for vigils. Additionally, in 1978, the US Open tennis tournament was moved from the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills to Flushing Meadows Corona Park. The tournament was originally held in the Singer Bowl stadium (renamed the Louis Armstrong Stadium ), a 1964 World's Fair structure which was renovated and expanded for the tournament. Other parts of the park were also repaired or expanded for
17380-416: The park in 1997, replacing a smaller stadium. By the early 2000s, NYC Parks had spent $ 61 million to renovate the park, including $ 11 million on a promenade along Flushing Bay, $ 7 million for turf fields, and six new playgrounds. The park had also become the residence of a number of homeless people. This fact received attention after five possibly homeless individuals abducted, raped, and threatened to kill
17538-576: The park into three areas: the "historic core" (former World's Fair grounds), Meadow Lake, and Willow Lake. The Flushing Meadows Corona Park Strategic Framework Plan divides the park into a total of seven "zones": the Marina along Flushing Bay (containing the World's Fair Marina ), the "Sport Center" (containing Citi Field and the USTA ), "West Park" (a small section extending west of the Grand Central Parkway and
17696-470: The park is largely occupied by Meadow and Willow Lake. The two lakes, along with the Pool of Industry and Fountain of the Planets in the former fair grounds, are fed by the Flushing River , which flows north through both lakes and underneath the fountain as a subterranean river towards Flushing Bay . The two lakes are connected by a narrow channel, forming a peninsula in between the lakes. During
17854-472: The park's northern end. The IRT Flushing Line subway station at Mets–Willets Point is served by the 7 and <7> trains, and the similarly named LIRR station serves the Port Washington Branch . These stations are located at the northern end of the park adjacent to the Corona Yard and bus depot, primarily serving Citi Field and the USTA. The 111th Street subway station
18012-548: The park, such as the Unisphere, Hall of Science, New York State Pavilion , and United States Pavilion . Most of the remaining $ 11.6 million from the fair funds, as well as money from Moses' Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority , were used to rehabilitate the site into a true park. City officials proposed repurposing the site as a "sports park" in 1966; ultimately, the Parks Department took back ownership of
18170-638: The park. The name "Flushing" is a corruption of the port town of Vlissingen in the Netherlands . By the 19th century, the word "flushing" had become associated with "a cleansing by rushing water". "Corona" was added to the name during the 1964 New York World's Fair . During at least three glacial periods , including the Wisconsin glaciation around 20,000 years ago, ice sheets advanced south across North America carving moraines , valleys, and hills. In particular, bays and estuaries were formed along
18328-504: The pipeline was not built on piling foundations and eventually sank into the marsh and landfill. In January 1940, Borough President Harvey demanded an investigation into the main's construction take place, while the Board of Estimate allocated $ 50,200 for repairs. Following the closure of the Fair in 1940, the site was supposed to be cleared in order to develop and open Flushing Meadows as a city park. The onset of World War II , however, delayed
18486-468: The plan. In 2017, the Newsday editorial board wrote a piece in support of the AirTrain LaGuardia project, saying that it would increase mass transit patronage to the airport. The board cited AirTrain JFK as an example, saying that "officials with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey estimate the AirTrain provides 7.5 million rides to air travelers annually", and arguing that LaGuardia Airport needed
18644-518: The playground was won by architect Hisham N. Ashkouri ; the facility was completed in 1984, and it was refurbished and reopened in 1997. Immediately outside the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center is a sculpture by Eric Fischl called Soul in Flight . The sculpture, unveiled in August 2000, is a 14-foot bronze nude statue that serves as a permanent memorial to Arthur Ashe and includes one of his favorite quotes, "From what we get we can make
18802-572: The point where any city could afford to deploy them. Most of these systems used elevated guideways, which were much less expensive to deploy than tunnels. However, elevating the track causes problems with noise, so traditional steel-wheel-on-rail solutions were rare as they squealed when rounding bends in the rails. Rubber tired solutions were common, but some systems used hovercraft techniques or various magnetic levitation systems. Two major government funded APM projects are notable. In Germany, Mannesmann Demag and Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm developed
18960-442: The project called for her to cancel it. Hochul said in October 2021 that she had directed the PANYNJ to consider alternatives, and the authority presented 14 options in March 2022, including extending the BMT Astoria Line to provide service to the airport. Meanwhile, Hochul announced that, starting on May 1, 2022, the Q70 bus would no longer charge fares as a temporary measure while the New York state government studied alternatives to
19118-496: The project did not receive funds due to communication issues with the New York City Comptroller 's office. By 1972, little development had taken place to improve the park, while many World's Fair structures remained in disrepair. The disrepair was systematic within the park system, a product of lack of funding during that decade's fiscal crisis . This state of disrepair continued into the 1980s. In 1975,
19276-419: The project was indefinitely postponed in late 2021. In March 2023, the project was officially abandoned after the estimated cost reached $ 2.4 billion, five times the initial estimate. The AirTrain project had been highly controversial. Advocates said that it would improve access to the airport from the subway and LIRR, alleviate traffic congestion, and reduce air pollution in and around East Elmhurst. The project
19434-613: The project. The profits from the World's Fair were supposed to pay for the development of the park, but in spite of its success the fair turned a financial loss. Only two permanent attractions were opened in 1941: an ice skating rink and roller rink in the New York City Building , and a public pool located in the New York State Marine Amphitheatre (now demolished). The latter utilized the pool used for Billy Rose's Aquacade during
19592-465: The refuse to Corona. The operation was referred to as a citywide refuse "conveyor belt," while the trains were nicknamed the " Talcum Powder Express" because they often ran uncovered and deposited soot onto the surroundings. The northern end of the site was filled via now-conventional means, using dirt pumped from Flushing Bay which was being dredged to a lower depth. Material from the bay was extracted by an offshore hydraulic machine, and funneled through
19750-678: The rest of Long Island would have had to transfer at the Woodside station to access the Port Washington Branch. According to one critic, even with a capacity increase, the route was not worth traveling due to its distance from most of the rest of the city, as "transit travel times from LaGuardia to destinations throughout New York City—from Grand Central in Midtown Manhattan to Borough Hall in downtown Brooklyn to Jamaica in central Queens to Yankee Stadium in
19908-478: The restoration of the Unisphere was completed in May 1994. By the mid-1990s, NYC Parks was planning to spend another $ 19 million to rebuild fountains, build a new ramp to the Willets Point Boulevard station , add three entrances and a cultural walk, and enlarge the Hall of Science. The Aquacade amphitheater, which had decayed extensively, was demolished in 1996. Arthur Ashe Stadium opened in
20066-588: The right-of-way of the Sunnyside Yards and Brooklyn-Queens Expressway to access LaGuardia Airport. After stopping at LaGuardia, the line would continue parallel to the Grand Central Parkway with an intermediate stop near Shea Stadium in Willets Point , with a connection to the 7 and <7> trains at Willets Point Boulevard . Continuing down the parkway, the line would have another intermediate stop in Jamaica , connecting to
20224-647: The same time. One was Skybus , an automated mass transit system prototyped by the Westinghouse Electric Corporation beginning in 1964. The second, alternately called the People Mover and Minirail , opened in Montreal at Expo 67. Finally the last, called PeopleMover or WEDway PeopleMover, was an attraction that was originally presented by Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company and that opened at Disneyland in 1967. Now, however,
20382-404: The site, which opened on June 3, 1967. Although the park was opened, it had yet to become the grand park Moses had originally envisioned. In August 1967, new parks commissioner August Heckscher II sought to begin improvements on the park in order to turn it into the "Central Park of the 20th century." A new plan for the park had been designed by architects Marcel Breuer and Kenzō Tange , but
20540-432: The speed of the cars up to the traveling speed (which would be preset depending on the distance to be covered). At point B Passengers could disembark and by means of a series of flat slower belts (Speedwalks) go to other Carveyors to other destinations or out to the street. The cars at point B would continue on rollers around a semicircle and then reverse the process carrying passengers back to point A. The initial installation
20698-411: The state's exhibit hall for the same World's Fair, sits derelict and decaying. The pavilion was repainted yellow in 2015 and underwent renovations in the 2020s. At the northern end of the New York State Pavilion is the Queens Theatre in the Park , originally the pavilion's "Theaterama" attraction, which moved into its current building in 1993. Terrace on the Park , a banquet and catering facility,
20856-584: The subway. The Q70 also connects to the LIRR at Woodside station , while the M60 SBS runs to Manhattan, connecting with the Metro-North Railroad at Harlem–125th Street station as well as with several subway routes. In 2014, 8% of LaGuardia's 27 million passengers took the bus, compared to the 12% of the 53 million passengers using John F. Kennedy International Airport who took AirTrain JFK . Similarly, in 2008, 75% of LaGuardia's passengers took
21014-475: The summer months. The American Small Craft Association (TASCA) also houses a fleet of over a dozen 14.5-foot (4.4 m) sloop-rigged sailboats, used for teaching, racing, and recreation by the club's members. Bicycling paths extend around Meadow Lake and connect to the Brooklyn–Queens Greenway . The Willow Lake Trail, a nature trail around Willow Lake, was partially reopened in 2013 and is part of
21172-436: The term "people mover" is generic, and may use technologies such as monorail , rail tracks or maglev . Propulsion may involve conventional on-board electric motors, linear motors or cable traction . Generally speaking, larger APMs are referred to by other names. The most generic is "automated guideway transit", which encompasses any automated system regardless of size. Some complex APMs deploy fleets of small vehicles over
21330-408: The total funds allocated for planning to $ 75 million. In April 2018, the Port Authority ruled out the possibility of routing the AirTrain along Grand Central Parkway, after consultation with residents of nearby East Elmhurst who opposed such a routing. The other options for routing the AirTrain included either placing it on a promenade adjacent to Flushing Bay , or over the bay itself. In June 2018,
21488-450: The tournament, including the fountains of the Unisphere. Arne Abramowitz became administrator of Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in 1986 and soon began planning a renovation of the park. The following year, NYC Parks announced an $ 80 million rehabilitation of the park. The renovation had been planned since the early 1980s but had been deferred due to a lack of funding. The grounds of the park's northern section were landscaped in 1992, and
21646-428: The track (but not easily converted from one to the other), allowing dual-track movements from a single elevated guideway only slightly wider than the cars. A test track was completed in 1975 and ran until development was completed in 1979, but no deployments followed and the companies abandoned the system shortly thereafter. In the U.S., a 1966 federal bill provided funding that led to the development of APM systems under
21804-491: The week. This park also contains three Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) maintenance facilities: the Jamaica subway yard , the Corona subway yard , and the Casey Stengel Bus Depot . The Jamaica Yard is located at the very south end of the park site, beyond Willow Lake, while the Corona Yard and Casey Stengel Depot are located across from Citi Field. The New York City Subway and Long Island Rail Road both serve
21962-463: The west end of the main promenade. Near the center of the promenade (called Herbert Hoover Promenade on the north side, and Dwight D. Eisenhower Promenade on the south side) are the Fountains of the Fairs, which sit in the median of the paths. At the far east end is the Fountain of the Planets, originally called the Pool of Industry. This layout was used to guide fair goers to exhibits. The layout
22120-405: The west, Flushing Bay on the north, and Union Turnpike on the south. Flushing Meadows–Corona Park is the fourth-largest public park in New York City , with a total area of 897 acres (363 ha). Until the 19th century, the site consisted of wetlands straddling the Flushing River , which traverses the region from north to south. Starting in the first decade of the 20th century, it was used as
22278-401: The worst breeding grounds for mosquitoes in the city. The dump was famously characterized as "a valley of ashes" in F. Scott Fitzgerald 's The Great Gatsby . Fitzgerald meanwhile described the Flushing River, now polluted from the dumps, as "a small foul river". The dumps and garbage trains were accused of facilitating a polio outbreak in Corona in 1916. The Brooklyn Ash Removal Company
22436-485: Was Pittsburgh 's Skybus, which was proposed by the Port Authority of Allegheny County to replace its streetcar system, which, having large stretches of private right of way, was not suited for bus conversion. A short demonstration line was set up in South Park and large tracts of land were secured for its facilities. However, opposition arose to the notion that it would replace the streetcar system. This, combined with
22594-537: Was based on Gian Lorenzo Bernini 's plan for St. Peter's Square in Vatican City . The main promenade, measuring 2,500 feet (760 m), was provisionally called the "Cascade Mall" during its construction, and later named the "Constitution Mall" during the first fair. Many former exhibit and pavilion sites have since been replaced with soccer fields ( artificial turf or dirt and grass), while others have been left as open grass fields. The southern portion of
22752-476: Was brought to court by local residents in 1923 for "violation of the sanitary code" due to the smoke emitted from the dumps. As a minor concession, the company opened the Corona Park Golf and Country Club in 1931, on a tract near Nassau Boulevard (today's Long Island Expressway). New York City Parks Commissioner Robert Moses first conceived the idea of developing a large park in Flushing Meadow in
22910-671: Was budgeted to extend the Astoria Line to the airport, but the extension was never built due to community opposition in Queens. On January 20, 2015, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a plan to build a people mover similar to AirTrain JFK. It would follow the Grand Central Parkway for one and a half miles, similar to how the AirTrain JFK runs along the median of the Van Wyck Expressway between Jamaica and JFK. The line would terminate in Willets Point near Citi Field and Flushing Meadows–Corona Park , and would connect there with
23068-629: Was built in the late 1980s. Although many systems were generally considered failures, several APM systems developed by other groups have been much more successful. Lighter systems with shorter tracks are widely deployed at airports; the world's first airport people movers, the Tampa International Airport People Movers , were installed in 1971 at Tampa International Airport in the United States . APMs have now become common at large airports and hospitals in
23226-656: Was contracted with the New York City Department of Sanitation . He also contracted the Brooklyn Ash Removal Company, owned by Fishhooks McCarthy , a member of the corrupt Tammany Hall political machine. Residential ash was collected via trolleys of the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company , and loaded onto freight trains which traveled via the Long Island Rail Road branches, or other trolleys, which hauled
23384-432: Was estimated that transferring from the subway to the AirTrain would have taken longer than transferring from the subway to the Q70 LaGuardia Link bus at 61st Street–Woodside , which is eight local stops closer to Manhattan than the Willets Point station is. The AirTrain would also not have benefited many LIRR riders; the Port Washington Branch is the only LIRR route that does not go through Jamaica station , so riders from
23542-513: Was extended north through the park site along the right-of-way of the former World's Fair Railroad . Moses and the Parks Department also prepared post-fair plans to finish Flushing Meadows Park, as well as Kissena Corridor Park and Kissena Park, projected to be complete by 1967. In early 1964, the New York City Council added " Corona " to the park's name; the park was now named "Flushing Meadows–Corona Park", in preparation for that year's World's Fair. Councilman Edward Sadowsky explained that this
23700-415: Was for studies of the LIRR station's platform lengthening and an ADA-accessibility retrofit. The other, a $ 2.9 million contract given to HDR Architecture and Engineering PC, was for studies regarding the subway station's complete renovation and ADA-accessibility. The airport renovation as a whole started construction on June 14, 2016. $ 1.5 billion was allocated for the construction of the rail link as part of
23858-433: Was intended to correct an injustice: "The people of Corona have long lived in the aroma of a junkyard or a dump named for their community. Now, when there is something beautiful to be seen, there is no mention of the name Corona." Following the fair, most buildings from the fair were demolished. Some were relocated, such as the Wisconsin Pavilion , Uniroyal Giant Tire , and Golden Rondelle Theater , while others remained in
24016-401: Was never fulfilled due to political difficulties. Chocolate World in Hershey, Pennsylvania , Disneyland in California, and Walt Disney World in Florida are among many locations that have used variations of the Carveyor concept. The term 'people mover' was used by Walt Disney , when he and his Imagineers were working on the new 1967 Tomorrowland at Disneyland . The name was used as
24174-436: Was opposed by residents of nearby communities, as well as some transit advocates who objected to its indirect route to Midtown Manhattan, high cost estimate, and potential to prevent further rail transit connections to LaGuardia. LaGuardia Airport had no rail service when the AirTrain was proposed in 2014. The only public transportation is by bus via the Q47 , Q48 , Q70 SBS , Q72 and M60 SBS routes, all of which connect to
24332-404: Was originally a tidal marsh , with Flushing Creek receiving south-flowing waters from the tides of Flushing Bay. Although the lakes were built as freshwater lakes and dammed to mitigate tidal effects, flooding continues to affect the park. The lakes are also highly eutrophic , due to nutrients such as phosphorus from the former marshland seeping into the water, leading to the death of fish in
24490-424: Was originally the 1964 World's Fair's official helipad. The Queens Museum, which became the headquarters of the United Nations General Assembly after the 1939 Fair, was adapted as the 1964 Fair's New York City Pavilion building. After the fair, it was subdivided into the Queens Center for Art and an ice-skating rink, the latter of which was removed when the museum was expanded in 2013. Other buildings remained for
24648-505: Was the first of 20 proposals for direct links to New York-area airports, all of which were canceled. In 1990, the MTA proposed the New York City airport rail link to LaGuardia and JFK airports, which would be funded jointly by agencies in the federal, state, and city government. The rail line was to begin in Midtown Manhattan, crossing the East River via the Queensboro Bridge 's lower-level outer roadways, which had been formerly used by trolley cars. It would stop at Queens Plaza , then use
24806-463: Was to be the 42nd Street Shuttle in New York City between Times Square and Grand Central station. The first mention of the Carveyor in a hardback book was in There's Adventure in Civil Engineering by Neil P. Ruzic (1958), one of a series of books published by Popular Mechanics in the 1950s in their "Career" series. In the book the Carveyor was already installed and operational in downtown Los Angeles. Colonel Sydney H. Bingham, Chairman of
24964-478: Was very similar to a Speedwalk but it was used to change elevations; up or down a floor level. This could have been accomplished by an escalator, but the Speedramp would allow wheeled luggage, small handcarts etc. to ride the belt at an operating cost predicted to be much lower than escalators or elevators . The first successful installation of a Speedramp was in the spring of 1954 at the Hudson and Manhattan Railroad Station in Jersey City, New Jersey , to connect
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