July 2018
New Flyover Highway to Ease Traffic at LaGuardia Airport
NEW YORK - New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced the completion of a major new roadway flyover that will enhance access and improve traffic flow for travelers driving into LaGuardia Airport. At its opening, the new flyover, located at the Grand Central Parkway's eastbound Exit 7, will be the primary access point for vehicles going to the eastern side of LaGuardia Airport where Delta's gates are located.
The construction team of Walsh Construction and Skanska completed the flyover in less than two years and marks a significant step in the ongoing LaGuardia Airport modernization project.
(Above: Construction team stands with Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Executive Director Rick Cotton)
"This new flyover will bring immediate relief to travelers driving to LaGuardia Airport, and is a key milestone in our plan to build the nation's first new airport in more than 20 years and make it a world-class international gateway," Governor Cuomo said.
Click here to watch the opening of the new flyover.
Flyover Highway Overpass
With nearly 18,000 vehicles traveling to LGA daily, the eastbound Grand Central Parkway Exit 7 flyover is anticipated to handle 20 percent initially of the airport's total inbound traffic. This entry is one of four current access points to LaGuardia, with the others being Grand Central Parkway Westbound Exit 7, 94th Street northbound for local traffic and Marine Terminal Drive off 82nd Street, also for local vehicles.
The new flyover is designed to provide a more direct route for vehicles traveling to the eastern side of the airport, where Delta's gates and operations are located. Previously, those vehicles had to navigate a labyrinth route and execute a 360-degree turn, while encountering various traffic lights along the way. Vehicles headed to Terminal B will also benefit by having a new direct connection to the arrivals level, separated from traffic to the other terminals.
The modernization of LaGuardia Airport - which includes the flyover - continues to reach key milestones. In February, the new Terminal B garage opened, with a dedicated level for Uber, Lyft and other car services to increase customer convenience. The first gates at the new Terminal B will open later this year. The new Terminal B, which will replace the current outmoded 54-year-old Terminal B, is slated for completion in 2021.
Twenty-six new planned bridges/flyovers will replace 15 existing bridges and significantly eliminate the need for on-airport traffic signals. Prior to the start of the modernization program, there were 19 traffic signals for drivers to navigate at Terminals B, C and D. Following completion of the modernization project, only three of those 19 traffic signals are expected to remain. Most of the on-airport road crossings will have been eliminated by raising traffic up onto bridges, sometimes three levels high.