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For the love of god, can NYC create a reasonable public transport option to LGA?

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Old Oct 22, 2018, 4:31 am
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Last edit by: FlyinHawaiian
As of October 2018, there are some temporary changes to the M60-SBS service for those taking the N/W NYC Subway service from Astoria Blvd:
  • https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/new-york-city/1960975-astoria-blvd-n-w-subway-stop-closed-3-17-209-through-12-2019-m60-lga-impacted.html
Effective 12:01 AM, Monday, Oct 22M60 SBS, Q48, Q70 SBS and Q72 - Bus stop changes at Terminal D in LaGuardia AirportDue to construction:Buses will now make the following stop: LGA Terminal D on LaGuardia Road (Delta Arrivals Rd)The following stop will no longer be served: LGA Terminal D on East End Road
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For the love of god, can NYC create a reasonable public transport option to LGA?

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Old Jan 4, 2011, 2:14 pm
  #31  
 
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The City is beginning a LGA transit study -- focusing on Bus Rapid Transit

Limited stop buses, high frequency, boarding through all doors etc.

A rail transit plan was tried 10 years ago but died because of strong neighborhood opposition (most transit lines in the area are elevated, and the locals didn't want more elevated construction).
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Old Jan 4, 2011, 2:19 pm
  #32  
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Originally Posted by Analise
Your complaint is about the local streets and the traffic which you endured during your 45 minute ride at rush hour. An express bus isn't going to fly above the traffic. Thus, it won't be faster at rush hour.
Understood -- but such a bus could travel for more of the distance on the expressway or major streets if it didn't have to serve the local passengers.
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Old Jan 4, 2011, 2:27 pm
  #33  
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Originally Posted by TA
Understood -- but such a bus could travel for more of the distance on the expressway or major streets if it didn't have to serve the local passengers.
On the expressway? No highways to LGA from the E/F/7 subway stations in Queens. If you want an express bus to LGA from Manhattan, there already is one. You can choose to take the New York Airport Service bus from the Port Authority, Penn Station or just a few blocks from Grand Central. That might be your answer!
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Old Jan 4, 2011, 2:33 pm
  #34  
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What we all would like is a train that runs express from LGA to precisely where in Manhattan we want to go. Presumably that trip would take about 20 minutes. But the cost of building that train will be in the billions of dollars and destroy countless homes and businesses. Instead, with no additional capital outlays, the city can offer us numerous bus/subway combos that, for $2.25, will get us where we're going in about an hour. Seems like a pretty straight forward calculation to me as to whether it's worth spending the money for a new train.
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Old Jan 4, 2011, 2:35 pm
  #35  
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Originally Posted by Analise
On the expressway? No highways to LGA from the E/F/7 subway stations in Queens. If you want an express bus to LGA from Manhattan, there already is one. You can take the New York Airport Service bus from the Port Authority, Penn Station and just a few blocks from Grand Central. That might be your answer!
A train from Manhattan to LGA while the best solution is never going to happen in our lifetime. The next best alternative is a fast way to subway lines. Now, its a choice of an overcrowded bus (with people often shoving and pushing to get on and falling over bags) or a bus that often seems to stop at every block.

If you live somewhere in Manhattan like I do in Chelsea the New York Airport Service bus really does not save time.
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Old Jan 4, 2011, 2:38 pm
  #36  
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Originally Posted by newyorkgeorge
A train from Manhattan to LGA while the best solution is never going to happen in our lifetime. The next best alternative is a fast way to subway lines. Now, its a choice of an overcrowded bus (with people often shoving and pushing to get on and falling over bags) or a bus that often seems to stop at every block.

If you live somewhere in Manhattan like I do in Chelsea the New York Airport Service bus really does not save time.
I gave that suggestion because it seemed that the OP were interested in a bus that avoids local roads but instead takes the Grand Central Parkway right to LGA.
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Old Jan 4, 2011, 2:38 pm
  #37  
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Originally Posted by Blumie
What we all would like is a train that runs express from LGA to precisely where in Manhattan we want to go. Presumably that trip would take about 20 minutes. But the cost of building that train will be in the billions of dollars and destroy countless homes and businesses. Instead, with no additional capital outlays, the city can offer us numerous bus/subway combos that, for $2.25, will get us where we're going in about an hour. Seems like a pretty straight forward calculation to me as to whether it's worth spending the money for a new train.
Good point.
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Old Jan 4, 2011, 2:39 pm
  #38  
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The MTA 40 year plan actually includes a second Airtrain to the LIRR

Sander also said the MTA would explore creating a second AirTrain service to connect LaGuardia Airport to Long Island Rail Road service in Woodside, Queens, as well as light rail service on Staten Island and new Metro-North train stops in the Bronx.


It would be interesting to see what the 40 year plan was 40 years ago compared to what they actually got done.

He said that two years ago, so only 38 more years to go.....

NBC a few days ago ran a story on why you can't take the subway to the airport (they started talking about it a dozen years ago)

http://secondavenuesagas.com/2010/12...o-laguardia-2/

The text on that page details some of the opposition to the project.

Last edited by cordelli; Jan 4, 2011 at 2:46 pm
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Old Jan 4, 2011, 2:47 pm
  #39  
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Originally Posted by Analise
On the expressway? No highways to LGA from the E/F/7 subway stations in Queens. If you want an express bus to LGA from Manhattan, there already is one. You can choose to take the New York Airport Service bus from the Port Authority, Penn Station or just a few blocks from Grand Central. That might be your answer!
Are you sure?

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sour...tion&daddr=lga
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Old Jan 4, 2011, 3:23 pm
  #40  
 
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Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8320/4.5.0.81 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/100)

Q33 does not stop at the Marine Air Terminal.
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Old Jan 4, 2011, 3:34 pm
  #41  
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Originally Posted by TA
The BQE is hell. I didn't think of it because it never occurred to me that it would be faster than the local roads. And at rush hour??? Talk about bad.
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Old Jan 4, 2011, 3:40 pm
  #42  
 
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Originally Posted by Analise
The BQE is hell. I didn't think of it because it never occurred to me that it would be faster than the local roads. And at rush hour??? Talk about bad.
That segment of the BQE is usually okay even during rush hour. The only back up is usually getting on the BQE from the GCP. I live in Woodside and that's the exact route I take to get to and from LGA.
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Old Jan 4, 2011, 8:31 pm
  #43  
 
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Originally Posted by sent
Nope, I'm talking about riding the Q33 going from Jackson Heights to the airport. Once the bus turns into the LGA area, the first stop is Marine Air Terminal and the next one is this stop, in between the Marine Terminal and where Central Terminal begins. The stop is near one of those red flag-like pavilions labeled "Walkway."


One time, the bus driver actually made an announcement telling passengers they would save time if they got off at the early stop rather than waiting for the bus to loop around the terminals. Most of the times the bus driver can't be bothered. If I was an international visitor coming to NYC for the first time, I would be majorly turned off by the bus service to get out of LGA. There are some very unfriendly Americans driving those busses.
As a rider of the Q33 twenty times per year and the M60 twenty other times per year (slightly less than Blumie), the Q33 does NOT stop at the
Marine Air Terminal. I have not taken the Q47, but I assume you mean that line TO the Marine Air Terminal from Jackson Heights. Maybe for some strange reason your Q33 bus stopped there, but normally it does not.
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Old Jan 4, 2011, 8:52 pm
  #44  
 
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Originally Posted by nerd
Isn't the stop much, much closer to the Central Terminal than the Marine Air Terminal? Like near the taxi circle on the west end of the terminal?

I've only taken the M60, but I believe it makes the same stop there.
Yes it is the one near the taxi circle. I've never been to the Marine Air Terminal so I assumed that's what the building next to the taxi circle was but looking at Google maps, maybe it's much further out.
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Old Jan 4, 2011, 9:01 pm
  #45  
 
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Originally Posted by JeremyZ
Ooonce again, LGA is really not an international airport. It's the third-largest airport in the city, basically serving domestic destinations and Canada only.

Does that mean that it shouldn't have its own rail link? Well, no. But it's truly close enough to the city that a taxi is inexpensive, and getting to the subway isn't a big deal. Also, if you remember the drama involved in putting up the JFK train, it may just be the right decision to let things be unless we all want some $50/ticket "LaGuardia modernization/widows' and orphans' fee."

Hopefully our international friends are a little more thoughtful and open-minded than they're being portrayed. SEPTA's R1 is very convenient and speedy. Way better than riding a bus in traffic. But it takes you to Philly, so there's that.
Yes, I know LGA isn't a major international spot. Customer service on the bus still leaves a lot to be desired even when the American tourists are trying to get on the bus. But that's another topic. At least they finally put a Metrocard vending machine in at the airport so there are fewer confused tourists boarding the bus with dollar bills who are left to appeal to fellow passengers to purchase a "swipe" of their Metrocards.

I've always gone from LGA to either Times Square or Midtown west and it's almost always a $40 cab ride. That's not cheap when the alternative is $2.25. I guess it is cheaper compared to a cab from JFK. The nearly $38 difference in fare is quite a bit more spending money for when I get to my final destination.
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