138-408: [REDACTED] The Howard Beach–JFK Airport station is a subway/people mover station complex located at Coleman Square between 159th Avenue and 103rd Street in Howard Beach, Queens . The New York City Subway portion of the station is on the IND Rockaway Line and is served by the Rockaway branch of the A train at all times. The AirTrain JFK portion of the station complex is served by
276-602: A New York City taxi could make that journey in 45 minutes, while a bus could cover the same distance in an hour. The Port Authority, foreseeing economic growth for the New York City area and increased air traffic at JFK, began planning for a direct rail link from the airport to Manhattan. In 1991, the Port Authority introduced a Passenger Facility Charge (PFC), a $ 3 tax on every passenger departing from JFK, which would provide $ 120 million annually. In 1990,
414-525: A pylon station . The first deep column station in the world is Mayakovskaya , opened in 1938 in Moscow. One variety of column station is the "column-wall station". In such stations, some of the spaces between the columns are replaced with walls. In this way, the resistance to earth pressure is improved in difficult ground environments. Examples of such stations in Moscow are Krestyanskaya Zastava and Dubrovka . In Saint Petersburg , Komendantsky Prospekt
552-547: A "regional center" because of the area's high usage as a transit hub. During the average weekday, 100,000 LIRR riders and 53,000 subway riders traveled to or from Jamaica, and the Port Authority had estimated that the AirTrain JFK would carry 12.4 million passengers a year. The area was rezoned in September 2007, and the first development to be proposed in the rezoned area, a 13-story merchandise mart and showroom building,
690-457: A 10-acre (4 ha) train yard between Lefferts Boulevard and Federal Circle, atop a former employee parking lot. The elevated sections were built with precast single and dual guideway spans, the underground sections used cut-and-cover. The ground-level sections, including the train yards, used concrete ties and ballast trackbeds . The single guideway viaducts carry one track each and are 19 feet 3 inches (5.87 m) wide, while
828-637: A 7.5-mile (12.1 km) monorail or people mover , which would travel between Howard Beach and the JFK terminals. The Port Authority initially proposed building a $ 827 million monorail, similar to AirTrain Newark at Newark Airport , which would open the following year. In August 1995, the FAA approved the Port Authority's request to use the PFC funds for the monorail plan (the agency had already collected $ 114 million, and
966-526: A connection to a temporary shuttle bus service instituted after Hurricane Sandy . Prior to the 2000s reconstruction, the design of the station and overpass resembled that of the Broad Channel station. The AirTrain JFK portion of this station has two tracks and one island platform on the upper level of the station complex. The eastern end of the AirTrain platform leads to Parking Area C. Unlike
1104-671: A connection to the Sutphin Boulevard–Archer Avenue–JFK Airport station on the New York City Subway's E , J , and Z trains. The AirTrain and LIRR stations contain transfers to the subway, as well as to ground-level bus routes. West of Jamaica, the line travels above the north side of 94th Avenue before curving southward onto the Van Wyck Expressway. The segment from Jamaica to Federal Circle
1242-576: A direct link to Manhattan, citing the failure of the JFK Express. The Port Authority could use the funds from the Passenger Facility Charge only to make improvements that exclusively benefited airport passengers. As a result, only the sections linking Jamaica and Howard Beach to JFK Airport were approved and built, since it was expected that airport travelers would be the sole users of the system. The federal government approved
1380-564: A disabled or troubled train. A subway station may provide additional facilities, such as toilets , kiosks and amenities for staff and security services, such as Transit police . Some metro stations are interchanges , serving to transfer passengers between lines or transport systems. The platforms may be multi-level. Transfer stations handle more passengers than regular stations, with additional connecting tunnels and larger concourses to reduce walking times and manage crowd flows. In some stations, especially where trains are fully automated ,
1518-503: A modern design, which included a new overhead passageway between the two platforms. The design was created by architect J. Harold Sandifer, a native of the Rockaways. Many of the parts for the station were prefabricated , speeding construction. On June 28, 1956, the station reopened as a subway station along with the rest of the line. The previous Long Island Rail Road station at this location was razed. Inauguration ceremonies were held at
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#17327826299481656-497: A preexisting railway land corridor is re-purposed for rapid transit. At street level the logo of the metro company marks the entrances/exits of the station. Usually, signage shows the name of the station and describes the facilities of the station and the system it serves. Often there are several entrances for one station, saving pedestrians from needing to cross a street and reducing crowding. A metro station typically provides ticket vending and ticket validating systems. The station
1794-712: A premium service, with riders paying the additional fare on board. The service ran express on the IND Sixth Avenue Line to West Fourth Street–Washington Square , where it switched to the IND Eighth Avenue Line and ran express to Jay Street–Borough Hall in Downtown Brooklyn . From that point on, it ran non-stop on the IND Fulton Street Line and IND Rockaway Line to Howard Beach–JFK Airport. In its early years,
1932-472: A rail link to LaGuardia; in exchange, Giuliani and Queens borough president Claire Shulman agreed to not oppose the JFK link. The Port Authority was reluctant to approve more than $ 5 million for the LaGuardia study. Giuliani's continued opposition to the system delayed the project, and, if construction did not start by October, the project could lose $ 100 million worth of federal funds. Giuliani agreed to
2070-432: A station may be elevated above a road, or at ground level depending on the level of the train tracks. The physical, visual and economic impact of the station and its operations will be greater. Planners will often take metro lines or parts of lines at or above ground where urban density decreases, extending the system further for less cost. Metros are most commonly used in urban cities, with great populations. Alternatively,
2208-431: A total route length of 8.1 miles (13.0 km). The system consists of 6.0 mi (9.7 km) or 6.3 miles (10.1 km) of single-track guideway viaducts, as well as 3.2 miles (5.1 km) of double-track guideway viaducts. AirTrain JFK is mostly elevated, though there are short segments that run underground or at ground level, totaling about 1.5 miles (2.4 km). Trains are operated from and maintained at
2346-437: A trench measuring 25 feet (7.6 m) deep, 100 feet (30 m) wide, and 1,000 feet (300 m) long. The water table was as shallow as 5 feet (1.5 m) beneath the surface, so contractors pumped water out of the trench during construction. For waterproofing, subcontractor Trevi-Icos Inc. poured a U-shaped layer of grout , measuring 80 feet (24 m) wide and between 50 and 90 feet (15 and 27 m) deep. The project
2484-451: A waterfront park. The council approved the AirTrain that June on a 47–3 vote, even though many council members also had reservations about the AirTrain. Most of the system was built one span at a time, using cranes mounted on temporary structures that erected new spans as they progressed linearly along the structures. Several sections were built using a balanced cantilever design, where two separate spans were connected to each other using
2622-531: Is 1.8 miles (2.9 km) long. All AirTrain JFK stations contain elevators and are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). Each platform is 240 feet (73 m) long and can fit up to four cars. The stations include air conditioning, as well as platform screen doors that protect passengers and allow the unmanned trains to operate safely. Escalators and elevators are included in each station, and moving walkways are incorporated into
2760-416: Is a type of subway station consisting of a central hall with two side halls connected by ring-like passages between a row of columns. Depending on the type of station, the rings transmit load to the columns either by "wedged arches" or through Purlins , forming a "column-purlin complex". The fundamental advantage of the column station is the significantly greater connection between the halls, compared with
2898-427: Is about 3.1 miles (5.0 km) long. The Howard Beach Train and Jamaica Train routes merge at Federal Circle for car rental companies and shuttle buses to hotels and the airport's cargo areas. South of Federal Circle, the routes share track for 1.5 miles (2.4 km) and enter a tunnel before the tracks separate in two directions for the 2-mile (3.2 km) terminal loop. Both routes continue counterclockwise around
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#17327826299483036-410: Is an example. The pylon station is a type of deep underground subway station. The basic distinguishing characteristic of the pylon station is the manner of division of the central hall from the station tunnels The pylon station consists of three separate halls, separated from each other by a row of pylons with passages between them. The independence of the halls allows the architectural form of
3174-493: Is at the expense of character. Metro stations usually feature prominent poster and video advertising, especially at locations where people are waiting, producing an alternative revenue stream for the operator . The shallow column station is a type of construction of subway stations, with the distinguishing feature being an abundance of supplementary supports for the underground cavity. Most designs employ metal columns or concrete and steel columns arranged in lines parallel to
3312-787: Is decorated with tiles spelling the Déclaration des Droits de l'Homme et du Citoyen . Every metro station in Valencia , Spain has a different sculpture on the ticket-hall level. Alameda station is decorated with fragments of white tile, like the dominant style of the Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències . Each of the original four stations in the Olympic Green on Line 8 of the Beijing Subway are decorated in Olympic styles, while
3450-422: Is divided into an unpaid zone connected to the street, and a paid zone connected to the train platforms. The ticket barrier allows passengers with valid tickets to pass between these zones. The barrier may be operated by staff or more typically with automated turnstiles or gates that open when a transit pass is scanned or detected. Some metro systems dispense with paid zones and validate tickets with staff in
3588-550: Is famous for its Art Nouveau station entrances; while the Athens Metro is known for its display of archeological relics found during construction. However, it is not always the case that metro designers strive to make all stations artistically unique. Sir Norman Foster 's new system in Bilbao , Spain uses the same modern architecture at every station to make navigation easier for the passenger, though some may argue that this
3726-474: Is on the west side, with a twisting staircase and two elevators going down to the east side of 103rd Street/Coleman Square by the T-intersection with 159th Avenue. A connecting bridge on the east side of the station leads into the AirTrain JFK station. Two High Entry-Exit Turnstiles and one exit-only turnstile are located on the southbound subway platform and leads directly to Coleman Square. The exit on
3864-658: Is only one vault (hence the name). The first single-vault stations were built in Leningrad in 1975: Politekhnicheskaya and Ploshchad Muzhestva . Not long after, the first two-level single-vault transfer stations were opened in Washington DC in 1976: L'Enfant Plaza , Metro Center and Gallery Place . In the Moscow Metro there is only one deep underground single-vault station, Timiryazevskaya , in addition to several single-vault stations at shallow depth. In
4002-440: Is the terminus of the AirTrain's Howard Beach route; the next stop to the east is Lefferts Boulevard. The station's mezzanine is located in a modern, temperature-controlled, glass-enclosed building above the subway platforms and tracks, measuring 90 feet (27 m) across, with a large stainless steel sign on either side reading "Howard Beach JFK." The mezzanine building contains a small token booth and three turnstile banks between
4140-557: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), found the plan to be feasible, though the project attracted opposition from area residents and advocacy groups. The project was to start in 1996, but there were disputes over where the Manhattan terminal should be located. The Port Authority had suggested the heavily trafficked corner of Lexington Avenue and 59th Street , though many nearby residents opposed
4278-557: The Howard Beach–JFK Airport station . The route carried subway passengers to the Howard Beach station, where passengers would ride shuttle buses to the airport. The shuttle buses transported passengers between the different airport terminals within JFK's Central Terminal Area, as well as between Howard Beach and the terminals. The JFK Express service was unpopular with passengers because of its high cost, and because
Howard Beach–JFK Airport station - Misplaced Pages Continue
4416-477: The Mexico City Metro is prominently identified by a unique icon in addition to its name, because the city had high illiteracy rates at the time the system was designed. Some metro systems, such as those of Naples , Stockholm , Moscow , St. Petersburg , Tashkent , Kyiv , Montreal , Lisbon , Kaohsiung and Prague are famous for their beautiful architecture and public art . The Paris Métro
4554-684: The Montreal Metro . In Prague Metro , there are two underground stations built as single-vault, Kobylisy and Petřiny . In the Bucharest Metro , Titan station is built in this method. The cavern station is a metro station built directly inside a cavern . Many stations of the Stockholm Metro , especially on the Blue line, were built in man-made caverns; instead of being enclosed in a tunnel, these stations are built to expose
4692-570: The Moscow Metro , typical pylon station are Kievskaya-Koltsevaya , Smolenskaya of the Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya line, Oktyabrskaya-Koltsevaya , and others. In the Saint Petersburg Metro , pylon stations include Ploshchad Lenina , Pushkinskaya , Narvskaya , Gorkovskaya , Moskovskie Vorota , and others. The construction of a single-vault station consists of a single wide and high underground hall, in which there
4830-815: The New York City borough of Queens . It connects the airport's terminals with the New York City Subway at the Howard Beach station in the eponymous neighborhood , and with the Long Island Rail Road and the subway in the Jamaica neighborhood. Alstom operates AirTrain JFK under contract to the airport's operator, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey . A railroad link to JFK Airport had been proposed since
4968-561: The Nizhny Novgorod Metro there are four such stations: Park Kultury , Leninskaya , Chkalovskaya and Kanavinskaya . In the Saint Petersburg Metro all single-vault stations are deep underground, for example Ozerki , Chornaya Rechka , Obukhovo , Chkalovskaya , and others. Most of the underground stations of the Washington, D.C.'s Metro system are single-vault designs, as are all the single-line vaulted stations in
5106-524: The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in 1987, called for a rail line to connect all of JFK Airport's terminals with a new $ 500 million transportation center. The Port Authority withdrew its plans in 1990 after airlines objected that they could not fund the proposal. In 1978, the MTA started operating the JFK Express , a premium-fare New York City Subway service that connected Midtown Manhattan to
5244-518: The Q3 bus to Jamaica; the B15 bus to Brooklyn; and the limited-stop Q10 bus. The segment from Howard Beach to Federal Circle, which is about 1.8 miles (2.9 km) long, passes over the long-term and employee parking lots. The Jamaica Train route (colored red on the official map) begins and ends at the Jamaica station , adjacent to the Long Island Rail Road platforms there. The Jamaica station contains
5382-436: The 1940s. Various plans surfaced to build a JFK Airport rail connection until the 1990s, though these were not carried out because of a lack of funding. The JFK Express subway service and shuttle buses provided an unpopular transport system to and around JFK. In-depth planning for a dedicated transport system at JFK began in 1990 but was ultimately cut back from a direct rail link to an intra-borough people mover. Construction of
5520-539: The 1960s and 1970s, but in Saint Petersburg , because of the difficult soil conditions and dense building in the centre of the city this was impossible. The Saint Petersburg Metro has only five shallow-depth stations altogether, with three of them having the column design: Avtovo , Leninsky Prospekt , and Prospekt Veteranov . The first of these is less typical, as it is buried at a significant depth, and has only one surface vestibule. A deep column station
5658-591: The AirTrain had been announced by early 2004. The project was halted in 2008 before an environmental impact statement could be created. Though a direct route to Grand Central was never built, the LIRR's East Side Access project opened in 2023, connecting the East Side of Manhattan to the Jamaica station. However, passengers were still required to transfer between the LIRR and AirTrain at Jamaica. On January 4, 2017,
Howard Beach–JFK Airport station - Misplaced Pages Continue
5796-473: The AirTrain terminal, was deferred after the September 11 attacks. By mid-2003, a 500,000-square-foot (46,000 m ), 16-story building was being planned on Sutphin Boulevard across from the Jamaica station; this structure was the first building in a planned mixed-use development spanning 4,500,000 square feet (420,000 m ). After AirTrain JFK began operating, Jamaica saw a boom in commerce, and
5934-592: The AirTrain to Manhattan were examined even before the system's opening. In 1998, the Port Authority examined the possibility of reactivating the abandoned Rockaway Beach Branch , allowing LIRR trains to run from Manhattan directly onto the Howard Beach Branch. The RPA also published a report in 1999, in which it recommended the construction of new lines and stations for the New York City Subway. The plan included one service that would travel from Grand Central Terminal to JFK Airport via what eventually became
6072-708: The AirTrain's Howard Beach branch at all times. The station was originally a Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) station along the Rockaway Beach Branch . The LIRR station opened in 1913 to replace the nearby Ramblersville station . The LIRR ceased operations at this station in 1950, and the New York City Transit Authority bought the section of the Rockaway Beach Branch that included this station in 1952. The subway station opened on June 28, 1956. Between 2000 and 2003,
6210-515: The AirTrain's route—recorded few complaints about the construction process. A website for the project was launched in April 2000. Pile-driving for elevated columns was nearly completed in late 2000, when two-thirds of the system's columns had been installed. The United States Congress provided almost $ 2 million in November 2000 for wayfinding, marketing, and access projects and a study related to
6348-424: The AirTrain. The system was ready for its first test trains by the end of the year, and two AirTrain cars were delivered and tested after the system's guideway rails were complete by March 2001. By then, workers had completed 140 columns for the guideways in the Van Wyck Expressway's median. The guideways themselves were completed that August. Although the Port Authority had planned to award 17% of contracts for
6486-680: The AirTrain. Ultimately, the MTA rejected the RPA's proposal. U.S. senator Chuck Schumer had proposed a direct rail link from JFK Airport to Manhattan's Fulton Center the day the AirTrain opened. Between September 2003 and April 2004, several agencies, including the MTA and the Port Authority, conducted a feasibility study of the Lower Manhattan–Jamaica/JFK Transportation Project , which would allow trains to travel directly from JFK Airport to Manhattan. The study examined 40 alternatives, and four options for extending
6624-478: The City Council heavily. Although City Council speaker Peter Vallone was publicly neutral on the project, his own office had published a study in early 1999, which criticized the AirTrain's lack of direct access to Manhattan and predicted that it would be of little help to the local economy. To attract local support, the Port Authority offered to pay for other projects in surrounding neighborhoods, such as
6762-472: The Civil Court, and a Food and Drug Administration laboratory and offices were all built in the five years before the AirTrain opened. As early as 2000, local leaders had envisioned hotels, offices, and parking around the AirTrain station in Jamaica. One development firm began constructing a 300,000-square-foot (28,000 m ) office building at the site in 2001. Another project, a 250-room hotel above
6900-402: The FAA to allow the public to discuss the PFC charges. Residents of Briarwood , a neighborhood that was not even near the AirTrain, also opposed the project because they feared the Jamaica branch would be extended to LaGuardia. There were multiple protests against the project, such as in 2000, when a crane caught fire in a suspected arson . Homeowners believed the concrete viaducts would lower
7038-529: The FEIS had included misleading statements about the effects of the elevated structure on southern Queens neighborhoods. The ATA withdrew from the lawsuit, but one of the advocacy groups proceeded with the appeal and lost. The Port Authority also hired a community liaison in 1998 to address local residents' concerns. During the next two years, the liaison received 400 calls seeking damages or complaining about vibrations and construction. In response to complaints,
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#17327826299487176-589: The Howard Beach branch and the terminal section, but not for the branch to Jamaica. The Port Authority's final environmental impact statement (FEIS) for the JFK people mover, released in 1997, examined eight possibilities. Ultimately, the Port Authority opted for a light rail system with the qualities of a people mover, tentatively called the JFK Light Rail System. It would replace the shuttle buses and run to Jamaica and Howard Beach. The FEIS determined that an automated system with frequent headways
7314-472: The Howard Beach station, along with all the rest of the Rockaway Beach Branch stations south of the now defunct Ozone Park station, was taken out of service for eight months for restructuring and upgrading of the tracks, so that they could accommodate subway service. During the project, the Howard Beach station, along with the Broad Channel and Far Rockaway stations, was completely rebuilt utilizing
7452-497: The IND Rockaway Line by Hurricane Sandy in 2012, this was the southern terminal for A trains that normally traveled to the Rockaways while the line south of the station was being repaired. Full service to the Rockaways was restored on May 30, 2013. The subway station is served by the A train at all times and is between Broad Channel to the south and Aqueduct–North Conduit Avenue to the north. The AirTrain station
7590-483: The JFK rail link in 1992. At the time, it was thought that the link could be partially open within six years. In 1994, the Port Authority set aside $ 40 million for engineering and marketing of the new line, and created an environmental impact statement (EIS). The project's budget had grown to $ 2.6 billion by that year. The EIS, conducted by the New York State Department of Transportation and
7728-600: The MTA proposed a $ 1.6 billion rail link to LaGuardia and JFK airports, which would be funded jointly by federal, state, and city government agencies. The rail line was to begin in Midtown Manhattan, crossing the East River into Queens via the Queensboro Bridge . It would travel to LaGuardia Airport, then make two additional stops at Shea Stadium and Jamaica before proceeding to JFK. After
7866-409: The Manhattan terminal outright. The Port Authority did not consider a connection to the more-highly used Grand Central Terminal or Penn Station because such a connection would have been too expensive and complicated. To pay for the project, the Port Authority would charge a one-way ticket price of between $ 9 and $ 12. By February 1995, the cost of the planned link had increased to over $ 3 billion in
8004-510: The New York City Subway platforms, the AirTrain JFK platforms are entirely enclosed and feature platform screen doors , which help the station maintain a constant temperature and prevent passengers from falling onto the tracks. An array of sensors detect a train's position on the track, and only when it is properly aligned will the train's doors open. This enables the AirTrain to use automatic train operation without drivers. The platform measures approximately 240 feet (73 m). The next stop to
8142-574: The New York City area, refused to consider the idea. In 1968, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) suggested extending the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) to the airport as part of the Program for Action , an ambitious transportation expansion program for the New York City area. Ultimately, the rail link was canceled altogether due to the New York City fiscal crisis of 1975. Another proposal, made by
8280-511: The PFC funds had not been misused. Additionally, the judge found that the Port Authority and FAA had shut the ATA out of discussions. The FAA opened a second request for public comment and approved the project for the second time in August 1999. The ATA and two local advocacy groups appealed the funding decision in late 1999. The advocacy groups filed a second federal lawsuit in 2000, claiming that
8418-611: The Port Authority found that the ridership demand might not justify the cost of the rail link, the MTA downgraded the project's priority. The proposal was supported by governor Mario Cuomo and Queens borough president Claire Shulman . The transport advocacy group Regional Plan Association (RPA) called the plan "misguided", and the East Side Coalition on Airport Access's executive director said, "We are going to end up with another [...] uncompleted project in this city." The Port Authority started reviewing blueprints for
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#17327826299488556-427: The Port Authority imposed strict rules regarding disruptive or loud construction activity, as well as implementing a streamlined damage claim process to compensate homeowners. Through 2002, there were 550 nuisance complaints over the AirTrain's construction, of which 98 percent had been resolved by April of that year. By contrast, Queens Community District 12—which includes the neighborhood of South Jamaica , along
8694-457: The Port Authority planned to spend $ 326 million on the AirTrain terminal and some work on the LIRR station at Jamaica. Though the Jamaica station's rehabilitation was originally supposed to be finished by 2005, it was not completed until September 2006. Service was originally planned to begin on the Howard Beach branch in October 2002, followed by the Jamaica branch in 2003, but the opening
8832-481: The Regional Plan Association published an unrelated study for a possible direct rail link between Manhattan and JFK Airport. Yet another study in September 2018, published by the MTA, examined alternatives for an LIRR rail link to JFK as part of a possible restoration of the abandoned Rockaway Beach Branch . In July 2017, Cuomo's office began accepting submissions for master plans to renovate
8970-554: The Terminal 1 station for seven months starting on May 1, 2023. The station was reopened in December 2023. AirTrain JFK connects the airport's terminals and parking areas with the Howard Beach and Jamaica stations. It runs entirely within the New York City borough of Queens . The system consists of three routes: two connecting the terminals with either the Howard Beach or Jamaica stations, and one route looping continuously around
9108-561: The Terminal 4 station is within the mezzanine of that terminal. The Jamaica station was designed with a footbridge leading from the AirTrain terminal above the LIRR tracks to the subway, as well as space for a hotel on top of it. Each station's construction was divided into nine components (such as connections to parking garages), and construction materials were customized to the specific needs of each station site. Howard Beach Train Jamaica Train The AirTrain has
9246-414: The airport itself, sued the FAA the next month, saying the light rail project was using the funds illegally. The Port Authority awarded a $ 930 million design–build–operate–maintain contract in April 1998 to AirRail Transit Consortium, a group composed of Slattery Skanska , Bombardier Transportation , STV Inc. , Perini Corporation , and numerous consultants. Giuliani, who did not want the city to pay
9384-459: The airport. A year later, in October 2018, Cuomo released details of the project, whose cost had grown to $ 13 billion. The improvements included lengthening AirTrains as well as adding lanes to the Van Wyck Expressway. The Terminal 2 station was closed on July 11, 2022, prior to the permanent closure of Terminal 2 six months later. To accommodate the reconstruction of Terminal 1, the PANYNJ closed
9522-583: The airport. There are also stations at Lefferts Boulevard, as well as Terminals 1, 4, 5, 7, and 8. Three former terminals, numbered 3, 6, and 9, were respectively served by the stations that were later renamed Terminals 2, 5, and 8. The four stations outside the Central Terminal Area were originally designated with the letters A–D alongside their names; the letters were later dropped. After Terminal 2 station closed in 2022, Terminal 1 station temporarily served passengers for both terminals until
9660-428: The area around Sutphin Boulevard in particular was expected to attract more business activity. A 15-screen movie theater opened in the area in early 2004, and developers were also planning a 13-floor building in the area. In 2004, the city proposed rezoning 40 blocks of Jamaica, centered around the AirTrain station, as a commercial area. According to the RPA, the rezoning was part of a proposal to re-envision Jamaica as
9798-771: The bedrock in which they are excavated. The Stockholm Metro also has a depot facility built in a cavern system. In the Hong Kong MTR , examples of stations built into caverns include Tai Koo station on Hong Kong Island , Other examples in the city include Sai Wan Ho, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong University and Lei Tung stations. AirTrain JFK AirTrain JFK is an 8.1-mile-long (13 km) elevated people mover system and airport rail link serving John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK Airport) in New York City . The driverless system operates 24/7 and consists of three lines and nine stations within
9936-553: The blocks to tilt forward and kill him. DeBourgh's death prompted an investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which found that the train had been speeding on a curve; in particular, it had been going as fast as 55 mph (89 km/h) on a segment of track that was meant to be traversed at 25 mph (40 km/h). Further investigations found that DeBourgh's supervisors had not correctly trained him. The opening
10074-512: The buses often got stuck in traffic. The service was ultimately canceled in 1990. By the 1990s, there was demand for a direct link between Midtown Manhattan and JFK Airport, which are 15 miles (24 km) apart by road. At the time, the airport was only served by two highways: the Belt Parkway and Van Wyck Expressway . During rush hour, the travel time from JFK to Manhattan could average up to 80 minutes by bus; during off-peak hours,
10212-583: The case of an emergency. In the United Kingdom, they are known as underground stations , most commonly used in reference to the London Underground . The location of a metro station is carefully planned to provide easy access to important urban facilities such as roads, commercial centres, major buildings and other transport nodes . Most stations are located underground, with entrances/exits leading up to ground or street level. The bulk of
10350-444: The central and side halls to be differentiated. This is especially characteristic in the non-metro Jerusalem–Yitzhak Navon railway station , constructed as a pylon station due to its 80-meter depth, where the platform halls are built to superficially resemble an outdoor train station. Building stations of the pylon type is preferable in difficult geological situations, as such a station is better able to oppose earth pressure. However,
10488-471: The central terminal area. It is operated by Alstom (which purchased Bombardier in 2021) under contract to the Port Authority. Trains to and from Jamaica and Howard Beach were originally planned to run every two minutes during peak hours, with alternate trains traveling to each branch. The final environmental impact statement projected that trains in the central terminal area would run every ninety seconds. By 2014 actual frequencies were much lower: each branch
10626-473: The closure of Terminal 2 in January 2023. STV Inc., the AirTrain's main architectural and engineering designer, was tasked with creating a consistent design for the stations and infrastructure. The Jamaica station was designed by Voorsanger Architects, and Robert Davidson of the Port Authority's in-house architecture department designed the Howard Beach station. Most stations in the airport are outdoors, but
10764-411: The current people-mover system began in 1998. During construction, AirTrain JFK was the subject of several lawsuits, and an operator died during one of the system's test runs. The system opened on December 17, 2003, after many delays. Several improvements were proposed after the system's opening, including an unbuilt extension to Manhattan . AirTrain JFK originally had ten stations, but the Terminal 2 stop
10902-413: The design of the terminal-area stations. Each station also contains safety systems such as CCTV cameras , alarms, and emergency contact points, and is staffed by attendants. All the stations have island platforms except for Federal Circle, which has a bi-level split platform layout. The Jamaica and Howard Beach stations are designed as "gateway stations" to give passengers the impression of entering
11040-408: The development of a new terminal for American Airlines (one of the ATA's primary members) at JFK Airport unless American dropped its opposition to the system. The ATA filed a federal lawsuit in January 1999, alleging misuse of PFC funds. In March, a federal judge vacated the project's approval because the FAA had collected and perused public comments after the public-comment deadline, but found that
11178-748: The double guideway viaducts carry two tracks each and are 31 feet 0 inches (9.45 m) wide. Columns support the precast concrete elevated sections at intervals of up to 40 feet (12 m). The elevated structures run up to 40 feet above the Van Wyck Expressway. Workers fabricated 5,500 precast concrete sections in Cape Charles, Virginia , which were then shipped to Camden, New Jersey , before being installed in Queens. The elevated structures use seismic isolation bearings and soundproof barriers to protect from small earthquakes as well as prevent noise pollution . AirTrain JFK's tunnels, all within
11316-597: The downtown stations are decorated traditionally with elements of Chinese culture. On the Tyne and Wear Metro , the station at Newcastle United 's home ground St James' Park is decorated in the clubs famous black and white stripes. Each station of the Red Line and Purple Line subway in Los Angeles was built with different artwork and decorating schemes, such as murals, tile artwork and sculptural benches. Every station of
11454-462: The end of 1999, the columns in the Van Wyck's median were being erected, and half of the viaduct spans had been built, although only fifteen percent of the system was finished at the time. The project also included $ 80 million of tunnels within the airport, which was built using a cut-and-cover method; the tunnels had been among the first contracts to be awarded. Two shifts of workers excavated
11592-452: The entire platform is screened from the track by a wall, typically of glass, with automatic platform-edge doors (PEDs). These open, like elevator doors, only when a train is stopped, and thus eliminate the hazard that a passenger will accidentally fall (or deliberately jump ) onto the tracks and be run over or electrocuted . Control over ventilation of the platform is also improved, allowing it to be heated or cooled without having to do
11730-460: The first phase of AirTrain's construction to minority- and women-owned business enterprises (MWBEs), only 8.6% of contracts had been awarded to MWBEs by mid-2001. Following a small protest by one group of minority workers, the Port Authority to hire consultants and create a committee to oversee the awarding of contracts. Despite the September 11 attacks later the same year, work on the project
11868-453: The former USSR there is currently only one such station: Arsenalna in Kyiv . In Jerusalem, two planned underground heavy rail stations, Jerusalem–Central and Jerusalem–Khan , will be built this way. In Moscow, there were such stations, but they have since been rebuilt: Lubyanka and Chistiye Prudy are now ordinary pylon stations, and Paveletskaya-Radialnaya is now a column station. In
12006-409: The limited number of narrow passages limits the throughput between the halls. The pylon station was the earliest type of deep underground station. One variation is the so-called London-style station. In such stations the central hall is reduced to the size of an anteroom, leading to the inclined walkway or elevators. In some cases the anteroom is also the base of the escalators. In the countries of
12144-461: The long axis of the station. Stations can be double-span with a single row of columns, triple-span with two rows of columns, or multi-span. The typical shallow column station in Russia is triple-span, assembled from concrete and steel, and is from 102 to 164 metres in length with a column spacing of 4–6 m. Along with the typical stations, there are also specially built stations. For example, one of
12282-586: The loop, stopping at Terminals 1, 4, 5, 7, and 8 in that order. A connection to the Q3 local bus is available at Terminal 8. The travel time from either Jamaica or Howard Beach to the JFK terminals is about eight minutes. The Airport Terminals Loop (colored gold on the official map), an airport terminal circulator , runs clockwise around each terminal, in the opposite direction from the Howard Beach Train and Jamaica Train routes. The terminal area loop
12420-475: The northbound platform is exit-only, and two emergency gates lead to the parking lot for the Howard Beach–JFK Airport complex. Metro station A metro station or subway station is a train station for a rapid transit system, which as a whole is usually called a "metro" or "subway". A station provides a means for passengers to purchase tickets , board trains, and evacuate the system in
12558-401: The office of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a $ 7–10 billion plan to renovate JFK Airport. As part of the project, the AirTrain JFK would either see lengthened trainsets or a direct track connection to the rest of New York City's transportation system, and a direct connection between the AirTrain, LIRR, and subway would be built at Jamaica station. Shortly after Cuomo's announcement,
12696-452: The paper said, "the stations where the schlepping will take place are polished and sleek". Newsday , which sent several reporters to test out whether the LIRR and AirTrain were faster than a car and a taxi, said the AirTrain was ideal for people "looking for a modern ride removed from the stresses of the roadway". The New York Daily News said that riders had mixed opinions of the new system. A writer for The New York Times said that, while
12834-425: The plan in October 1997, when the state agreed to reimburse the city for its share of the system's cost. As part of the agreement, the state would also conduct a study on a similar train link to LaGuardia Airport. By that time, the Port Authority had collected $ 441 million in PFC funds. An artist's impression of the proposed people mover was presented to residents of southern Queens that November. Public reception
12972-441: The portions underneath the center station building. The platforms are offset, with the southbound platform extending slightly to the north, and the northbound platform extending slightly further south. A set of staircases and escalators from each subway platform go up to the station building. There are also two elevators from each platform to the station building. Outside the subway's and AirTrain's fare control, two elevators lead from
13110-460: The previous year alone. As a result, the Port Authority considered abridging the rail link plan, seeking federal and state funding, partnering with private investors, or terminating the line at a Queens subway station. The following month, the administration of governor George Pataki directed the Port Authority to devise and finalize revised plans for the JFK rail link. The direct rail connection between Manhattan, LaGuardia Airport, and JFK Airport
13248-495: The project using $ 1.2 billion in PFC fees and $ 300 million in rental income. Giuliani wanted the Port Authority to study extending the Astoria elevated to LaGuardia Airport, as well as making the light rail system compatible with the subway or LIRR to allow possible future interoperability. By March 1997, five companies had expressed interest in building the system. The next month, Pataki agreed to provide $ 100 million to study
13386-510: The project's $ 200 million cost difference, said he would not allow construction to begin unless the funding dispute was resolved. Construction of the system ultimately began in May 1998, and an official groundbreaking took place on September 16, 1998. By the beginning of 1999, the system was known as the AirTrain. The route was to run mostly along existing rights-of-way , but three commercial properties were seized and demolished to make way for
13524-590: The route. Members of the New York City Planning Commission approved the condemnation of several buildings along the route in May 1999 but voiced concerns about the projected high price of the tickets, ridership demand, and unwieldy transfers at Jamaica. Before major construction could begin, the New York City Council had to vote on whether to approve the project, and the AirTrain's supporters and opponents both lobbied
13662-481: The same for the tunnels. The doors add cost and complexity to the system, and trains may have to approach the station more slowly so they can stop in accurate alignment with them. Metro stations, more so than railway and bus stations, often have a characteristic artistic design that can identify each stop. Some have sculptures or frescoes. For example, London's Baker Street station is adorned with tiles depicting Sherlock Holmes . The tunnel for Paris' Concorde station
13800-434: The service was more successful, with 6,000 passengers carried on the maximum day. However, the premium service lost its allure as the rest of the subway system was improved, with reduced crime and new graffiti-free trains. As a result, more passengers opted to take the slower A to Howard Beach. The JFK Express was discontinued on April 15, 1990 due to low ridership, with as few as 3,200 riders per day. The bus service, connecting
13938-444: The south. In 1923, the station was retrofitted with sheltered sheds on both sides of the tracks. On May 8, 1950, a fire broke out between The Raunt and Broad Channel stations, destroying the trestle over Jamaica Bay , cutting service between Hamilton Beach and the Rockaways. The LIRR was bankrupt and unwilling to rebuild the trestle. As a result, the line was sold to the New York City Transit Authority in 1952. On June 27, 1955,
14076-418: The southeast is Lefferts Boulevard . Since it is owned by the Port Authority , it uses a separate fare control from the subway. Passengers must pay their fare when either entering or leaving the station, as this station and Jamaica are the only stations where fares are collected. MetroCard vending machines are located on both sides of fare control. The exit from the complex to the Howard Beach neighborhood
14214-413: The span-by-span method. The Jamaica branch's location above the median of the busy Van Wyck Expressway, combined with the varying length and curves of the track spans, caused complications during construction. One lane of the Van Wyck had to be closed in each direction during off-peak hours, causing congestion. The Port Authority also installed new sidewalks, plantings, and fences along the Van Wyck. By
14352-792: The spans may be replaced with a monolithic vault (as in the Moskovskaya station of the Samara Metro or Sibirskaya of the Novosibirsk Metro ). In some cases, one of the rows of columns may be replaced with a load-bearing wall. Such a dual hall, one-span station, Kashirskaya , was constructed to provide a convenient cross-platform transfer. Recently, stations have appeared with monolithic concrete and steel instead of assembled pieces, as Ploshchad Tukaya in Kazan . The typical shallow column station has two vestibules at both ends of
14490-524: The station and JFK, continued after JFK Express service ended, and was the only link between the airport and the Howard Beach station at the time. Ridership on the A to the Airport increased after the discontinuation of the JFK Express: in 1995, about 1 million passengers used the A to the Airport. The station was extensively reconstructed in the early 2000s, undergoing a $ 50 million overhaul to connect
14628-455: The station as well as at Euclid Avenue in Brooklyn. In June 1978, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced plans for an "experimental" subway-bus service between Manhattan and JFK Airport, terminating at the Howard Beach subway station where passengers could transfer to a free shuttle bus to the airport. The JFK Express began operation on September 23, 1978, operating as
14766-428: The station building to street level. The Rockaway-bound platform has two High Entry/Exit Turnstiles and one exit-only turnstile leading to a short staircase that goes down to the intersection of 159th Road and 103rd Street. The Brooklyn-bound platform has a set of emergency doors leading to the parking lot just north of the AirTrain JFK station; they are normally locked, but were in use from December 2012 to May 2013 as
14904-470: The station is typically positioned under land reserved for public thoroughfares or parks . Placing the station underground reduces the outside area occupied by the station, allowing vehicles and pedestrians to continue using the ground-level area in a similar way as before the station's construction. This is especially important where the station is serving high-density urban precincts, where ground-level spaces are already heavily utilised. In other cases,
15042-447: The station was completed in 2001, and the AirTrain station opened on December 17, 2003, at which time the shuttle bus was discontinued. The transfer was popular, with 4 million people transferring between the subway and the AirTrain from 2003 to 2007. The AirTrain was designed with the same track height and track gauge as those of the subway, to facilitate a future extension of the subway over the AirTrain system. Due to extensive damage to
15180-475: The station, most often combined with below-street crossings. For many metro systems outside Russia, the typical column station is a two-span station with metal columns, as in New York City, Berlin, and others. In Chicago, underground stations of the Chicago 'L' are three-span stations if constructed with a centre platform. In the Moscow Metro , approximately half of the stations are of shallow depth, built in
15318-401: The station. This is resolved with elevators, taking a number of people from street level to the unpaid ticketing area, and then from the paid area to the platform. In addition, there will be stringent requirements for emergencies, with backup lighting , emergency exits and alarm systems installed and maintained. Stations are a critical part of the evacuation route for passengers escaping from
15456-434: The subway station to the new AirTrain JFK . The project was designed by STV Group and financed by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey . During the reconstruction of the station, the original subway platforms were demolished and temporary platforms were erected in the center trackways while the new platforms and mezzanine were built. During off-peak hours, trains utilized a single track. The AirTrain structure around
15594-408: The subway station was completely reconstructed and the AirTrain JFK station was built. The rebuilt complex was completed on December 17, 2003, providing easier access to JFK Airport for large parts of the city. The station originally opened in April 1913 as a Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) station, which replaced the former 1899-built Ramblersville station that was built 0.2 miles (0.32 km) to
15732-447: The subway, the AirTrain JFK, and the unpaid area. The grade-level New York City Subway station has two side platforms and four tracks with the two center express tracks not used in revenue service. The southbound express track has been severed and has permanently been removed from service, while the northbound express track is unused in regular service. South of the station, there are switches and crossovers between all four tracks before
15870-447: The system because it was not shown on LIRR and subway maps. These issues had subsided by the AirTrain's first anniversary, when Bombardier reported that the system had an uptime rate of between 97 and 99 percent. Several projects were developed in Jamaica in anticipation of the system's opening, and local civic leaders hoped the system would help revitalize downtown Jamaica. The Jamaica Center Mall, Joseph P. Addabbo Federal Building,
16008-413: The system carried a total of 6,737,100 passengers, or about 29,000 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2024. The first proposal for a direct rail link to JFK Airport was made in the mid-1940s, when a rail line was proposed for the median of the Van Wyck Expressway, connecting Midtown Manhattan with the airport. New York City parks commissioner Robert Moses , at the time an influential urban planner in
16146-455: The system in 1999. Like other Port Authority properties, the AirTrain did not receive subsidies from the state or city for its operating costs. This was one of the reasons cited for the system's relatively high initial $ 5 fare, which was more than twice the subway's fare at the time of the AirTrain's opening. The Port Authority predicted that the AirTrain's opening would create 118 jobs at JFK Airport. Crain's New York Business said in 2003 that
16284-410: The system was superior to the bus routes that it replaced, the AirTrain was "a complicated travel experience" that required a transfer, necessitated an additional fare, and lacked adequate signage. Southeast Queens residents feared the project could become a boondoggle , as the construction cost of the system had increased to $ 1.9 billion. This figure was $ 400 million over what had been budgeted for
16422-524: The system would attract businesses to downtown Jamaica and create jobs. Queens community boards 10 , 12 , and 13 cast advisory votes in support of the project. Almost all civic groups along the Jamaica branch's route opposed it due to concerns about nuisance, noise, and traffic. Opponents claimed that the system had not undergone the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure process, and more than 90 local organizations wanted
16560-399: The system's design. DeBourgh's family sued the Port Authority and Bombardier in September 2003, as the new Jamaica terminal was being unveiled. At the time, the system was planned to open by the end of the year. The AirRail Transit Consortium said in November 2003 that it would open the entire system later that month, but this date was subsequently delayed to December 17. The latter date
16698-462: The system's opening and other upgrades at JFK Airport would allow the airport to accommodate 50 million annual passengers by 2007; by comparison, the airport had recorded 31.7 million travelers in 2003. Early riders had difficulty finding the trains because navigational signs were still covered up. In its first month of service, the system experienced several outages, delays, and lower-than-expected ridership, and some travelers could not easily find
16836-529: The train carriages. Access from the street to ticketing and the train platform is provided by stairs , concourses , escalators , elevators and tunnels. The station will be designed to minimise overcrowding and improve flow, sometimes by designating tunnels as one way. Permanent or temporary barriers may be used to manage crowds. Some metro stations have direct connections to important nearby buildings (see underground city ). Most jurisdictions mandate that people with disabilities must have unassisted use of
16974-434: The two outer tracks merge with the center ones. The two-track line then crosses Jamaica Bay to Broad Channel , which is 3.5 miles (5.6 km) to the south. The crossing is the longest stretch of line between two consecutive stations in the system. North of the station, the line ascends on an embankment to crossover Belt Parkway and Conduit Avenue. Both platforms have concrete windscreens on either end and steel canopies at
17112-483: The use of PFC funds for the new light rail system in February 1998. The PFC funds could not be used for as much as $ 200 million of the cost because, according to the FAA, the tax funds could not be used to pay for additional costs such as storage, maintenance, operation, and fare collection expenses. The Air Transportation Association of America (ATA), which argued that FPC funds could only be used for projects within
17250-400: The value of their houses, and some residents reported that vibrations from construction had caused their homes to shake and crack. Residents were also concerned about the noise that an elevated structure would create; according to a 2012 study, the majority of residents' complaints were due to "nuisance violations". In light of the ATA's 1998 lawsuit, the Port Authority threatened to halt
17388-431: Was announced the next month. A New York Times reporter wrote that the presence of AirTrain JFK riders was one factor in the redevelopment of downtown Jamaica, where, by 2011, three budget hotels had been developed near the Jamaica station. The area west of the Jamaica station was still underdeveloped, so many travelers chose to transfer to the LIRR or subway in Jamaica rather than stay there overnight. Plans to extend
17526-412: Was canceled outright in mid-1995. The plan had failed to become popular politically, as it would have involved increasing road tolls and PATH train fares to pay for the new link. In addition, the 1990s economic recession meant that there was little chance that the Port Authority could fund the project's rising price. Following the cancellation, the planned connection to JFK Airport was downsized to
17664-528: Was chosen to mark the centennial of the Wright Flyer 's maiden flight, as well as to accommodate increased air traffic for the Christmas and holiday season . The system opened on December 17, 2003, and was fare-free on its first day. According to Newsday , politicians were optimistic about the AirTrain, but travelers' enthusiasm was dampened by the fact that travelers had to transfer—though,
17802-401: Was closed in 2022. All passengers entering or exiting at either Jamaica or Howard Beach must pay an $ 8.50 fare, while passengers traveling within the airport can ride for free. The system was originally projected to carry 4 million annual paying passengers and 8.4 million annual inter-terminal passengers every year. The AirTrain has consistently exceeded these projections since opening. In 2023,
17940-544: Was controversial from the outset: although several local politicians, community leaders, and the politically powerful construction industry supported the AirTrain, it faced opposition from the ATA and local residents. Community leaders supported the project because of its connections to the Jamaica and Howard Beach stations. Proponents, including retired U.S. congressman Floyd Flake and the Greater Jamaica Development Corporation, claimed
18078-473: Was delayed because of incidents during testing. In July 2002, three workers were injured during an AirTrain derailment. By the next month, the guideway, most of the stations and substations, and the rolling stock were complete, and test trains were running on the system. Bombardier employee Kelvin DeBourgh was piloting a test train with concrete ballast blocks when his train derailed in September 2002, causing
18216-431: Was mixed. One civic leader in Jamaica was optimistic that the people mover would spur development in that neighborhood, and other supporters said it would benefit business and alleviate Van Wyck Expressway traffic in the long run. On the other hand, two community boards and several civic groups claimed the people mover would worsen traffic, and local newspaper Newsday criticized the proposal as being ineffective without
18354-463: Was not interrupted. As part of the AirTrain's construction, a renovation of the Jamaica LIRR station was announced in 2000. A $ 75 million renovation of the Howard Beach station was completed in May 2001, with an ADA-compliant transfer to and from the AirTrain. The same month, work started on the renovation of the Jamaica station, which entailed building a transfer passageway to the AirTrain;
18492-410: Was one of several major projects proposed at JFK Airport during the late 1990s. Pataki supported the revised people-mover plan, but New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani said the city would have to contribute $ 300 million, and that it was not a direct rail link from Manhattan, and thus would not be profitable because of the need to transfer from Jamaica. The Port Authority was originally planning to fund
18630-401: Was planning to collect another $ 325 million). After the monorail was approved, the Port Authority hoped to begin construction in 1997 and open the line by 2002. The Port Authority voted to proceed with the scaled-down system in May 1996, and it simultaneously set aside $ 25 million for planning and engineering. The FAA had already given the Port Authority permission to collect PFC funds for
18768-440: Was postponed indefinitely as officials looked into the cause of the derailment that killed DeBourgh. In February 2003, the Port Authority announced that the system could open that June, although the opening was then delayed further. Work on the stations continued throughout early 2003, and the Port Authority resumed test runs of the system in April after its internal safety board found that DeBourgh's death had not been caused by
18906-542: Was served by one train every seven to 12 minutes during peak hours. Trains arrived every 10 to 15 minutes on each branch during weekdays; every 15 to 20 minutes during late nights; and every 16 minutes during weekends. The Howard Beach Train route (colored green on the official map) begins and ends at the Howard Beach–JFK Airport station , where there is a direct transfer to the New York City Subway 's A train. It makes an additional stop at Lefferts Boulevard, where passengers can transfer to parking lot shuttle buses;
19044-558: Was the best design. Although there would not be a direct connection to Manhattan, the Port Authority estimated it would halve travel time between JFK and Midtown, with the journey between JFK and Penn Station taking one hour. The New York Times wrote that 21 prior recommendations for direct rail links to New York-area airports had been canceled in the preceding 30 years, while the Engineering News-Record said 22 such proposals had failed. The people mover system
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