Governor of New York Andrew Cuomo announced a $10 billion plan to revamp John F. Kennedy International Airport, one of the busiest in the United States. “JFK is ranked 59th out of the top 100 international airports. We used to be number one,” Cuomo said.
“John F. Kennedy airport was once a world-class transportation hub, envied by the entire nation. Today, it is choked with traffic and burdened with outdated systems and decaying infrastructure,” said Pat Foye, Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
60 million people pass through JFK in 2016. By 2030, 75 million are expected, and, by 2050, 100 million.
“For each million passengers that JFK fails to accommodate, the region loses approximately $140million in wages, $400million in sales, and 2,500 jobs. JFK is one of the only major airports in the world that does not offer travelers a one seat ride from its city center,” Foye added.
Cuomo said he expects $7 billion to come from private funding, with another $1 billion or so still to be allocated. Up to $2 billion for road improvements not including the airport itself is likely to be financed by the state Department of Transportation, state officials said.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates JFK and other transit hubs, bridges and tunnels, is to implement the airport plan. The timing for that work has yet to be determined.
