LGA Traffic Nightmare: Redevelopment 2016–≈2020; New For-Hire Vehicle & Taxi Pickups
 

Just saw this news report. I have a flight departing on a Tuesday in late September. Hopefully they have their act cleaned up by then.

http://www.fox5ny.com/news/195389973-story

I guess it's too much to ask that the reporters know anything about what they are writing about.

I assumed it was written by a non-local journalist and picked up by the local station's website but

*sigh*

News flash: NYC has really bad traffic. But with proper planning you'll be fine, without the need to run across the Grand Central Parkway to make your flight. If you need advice, just ask here and we'll confuse you with all of our differing opinions.

The traffic at LGA, not getting to LGA, is out of control since the construction started. Complete gridlock getting to terminal B especially. I now have to allow an extra hour in my schedule, especially when landing and trying to exit the airport.

I have a flight out of LGA at 6pm next mid week. Leaving UES at 3 pm enough time? Will be taking subway + M60 bus.

If there is gridlock inside LGA, is it possible to talk between terminal?

It's absolutely insane. This week, I had a 6:30 pm flight on Monday, arrived probably 5:15 pm (via car service) and it took us, I kid you not, 45 minutes to get from the highway to the terminal. :eek:

For my future trips in/out of LGA I'll just walk across the highway and catch a bus/Uber from there. It's only a 10-15 minute walk to get over to Ditmars/94th or 23rd/94th. LGA is still my favorite NYC airport but clearly will have to be more careful at the to/from the airport.

August 27, 2016:

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/28/ny...bags.html?_r=0

On Monday, a particularly bad day, some harried travelers abandoned cars and navigated the clogged Grand Central Parkway — the main highway serving La Guardia — on foot with suitcases in tow.

Last month, Delta Air Lines agreed to spend over $3 billion to replace the two terminals it occupies with a new one, in hopes of unifying La Guardia’s design.

The entire job is scheduled to be completed by 2024.

is likely to have surpassed the projected $8 billion cost.

Blumie, sounds like you're not aware of the gridlock traffic inside LGA. Passengers have regularly been abandoning their rides and walking to their terminals - even from GCP! It is a zoo. You have to see it to believe it. Getting out is not fun. For example, at times it is taking Uber drivers 45 minutes just to reach the terminal, and another 30+ minutes to get out of the airport. Not good. It's a disaster and I'll advise everyone to avoid LGA if at all possible!

I was at LGA twice over the last couple days, both times at the Central terminal.

On Friday evening I arrived with my family around 6-7pm and the arrivals level was largely gridlocked, but we hailed an Uber and the driver called from the departures level to ask us to come up there. We went up, found him waiting, and had no problem getting out of the airport.

Last night (Sunday evening) I went back to pick up someone. My Lyft driver had no problem getting to the departures level around 7:30pm, although at that hour the terminal is very, very quiet. When we left around 8:40pm, the arrivals level was crowded but totally manageable. But Lyft was giving 45 minute arrival times (at one point it gave me a driver "finishing his current driver" who appeared to have just left the airport and was headed for Manhattan) and I couldn't get an Uber at all (the requests kept timing out). After about 15 minutes of repeatedly trying Uber and Lyft, I eventually scored a Lyft. It seems the drivers may be avoiding LGA because of the traffic mess.

That's what I'm thinking I'll be doing as well. A lot of Ubers are not even coming into LGA anymore.

For an out of towner who knows nothing about the local area what's the best/safest place to walk from the American terminal? I'm meeting my wife there in a couple of weeks and have a flight that lands at 4:30 on a Friday then departs Sunday evening. She'll be landing on a Tuesday about the same time. The above Dithers or 23rd suggestion?

Is catching an Uber there a better idea than taking the Q70 to the subway?

I'd believe it with having to sit that long in traffic to get to the pick up location, which is time they're not paid for. My car service driver (old Italian guy) went into an expletive ridden tirade at the construction, Port Authority police, all the other drivers. :D It was pretty hilarious, while somewhat unprofessional.

Some of the roadways (especially near terminals) are restricted: no cars, only busses; making mass transit (essentially) the only option for direct access.
But in true PANY-NJ style, they just start building without taking into account how it would effect traffic.

Is the upper (departures) or lower (arrivals) roadway at Central Terminal B closed to private cars?

That would be absurd. The parking lot there has been closed, and there is no rail connection. Say it ain't so.