LM-Jamaica/JFK Airport Transportation Project
LONG LIST ALTERNATIVE DEVELOPMENT SUMMARY
Background
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA), in cooperation with the Metropolitan
Transportation Authority (MTA), The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey
(PANYNJ) and the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation (LMDC), and supported
by the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), is preparing an
Alternatives Analysis and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate
alternatives that provide improved commuter and airport access connecting Lower
Manhattan with the Long Island Rail Road Jamaica Station in Queens and with JFK
International Airport. The project is known as the Lower Manhattan-Jamaica/JFK
Transportation Project. In this study, "Commuter" refers to the market between Long
Island/Jamaica and Lower Manhattan and "Airport" refers to the market between JFK
Airport and Lower Manhattan.
Long List Development
The preliminary Long List of alternatives was generated by gathering all alternatives
from the previous LMDC feasibility study (Lower Manhattan Airport and Commuter
Access Alternatives Analysis), the MTA Lower Manhattan Access Study, and the Draft
JFK One-Seat Ride Study. This process generated 257 potential alternatives. Of
those, 188 alternatives were not applicable to this study because they had already been
implemented, did not serve the study area, were too vague, or served Midtown first.
The remaining 69 alternatives which applied to the study area were the foundation of
the Long List. The public scoping process for the current project generated 62
additional alternatives, and 10 alternatives added by the study team. The final Long
List includes 141 alternatives. The 141 Long List alternatives were reviewed to
evaluate whether there were similar or repetitive alternatives. As a result, 47
alternatives were consolidated/combined with others.
Grouping the Alternatives
In order to assist in the presentation and analysis of alternatives, the remaining 94
alternatives were placed in one of eleven groups based on key factors such as tunnel
crossings, alignment and transit mode. The first table provides the name of each group
and a brief description of the types of alternatives included in the group. The second
table shows the actual placement of the alternatives in each group.
tblLongList9-29-05.xls
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9/29/2005 LM-Jamaica/JFK Airport Transportation Project
LONG LIST ALTERNATIVE DEVELOPMENT SUMMARY
Group
Name
1
ATLANTIC BRANCH - NEW
TUNNEL
2
ATLANTIC BRANCH - MONTAGUE
TUNNEL
3
ATLANTIC BRANCH - CRANBERRY
TUNNEL
4
ATLANTIC BRANCH - CLARK
TUNNEL
5
ATLANTIC BRANCH - JORALEMON
TUNNEL
6
ATLANTIC BRANCH - RUTGERS
TUNNEL
7
ATLANTIC BRANCH - MANHATTAN
AND WILLIAMSBURG BRIDGES
8
NON-ATLANTIC BRANCH RAIL
ALIGNMENTS
9
OTHER MODAL ALTERNATIVES
10
MIDTOWN OPTIONS
11
ENHANCEMENTS AND CHANGES
TO EXISTING SYSTEM
Alternatives utilize LIRR Atlantic Branch from Jamaica
or Howard Beach and connect to the existing
F
Rutgers Tunnel to Lower Manhattan
Description
Alternatives utilize LIRR Atlantic Branch from Jamaica
or Howard Beach and connect to a new tunnel to Lower
Manhattan
Alternatives utilize LIRR Atlantic Branch from Jamaica
or Howard Beach and connect to the existing
M
/
R
Montague Tunnel to Lower Manhattan
Short term alternatives that propose changes or
enhancements to existing services or policies.
ALTERNATIVE GROUP DESCRIPTIONS
Alternatives utilize LIRR Atlantic Branch from Jamaica
or Howard Beach and connect to the existing
B
/
D
/
N
/
Q
Manhattan or
J
/
M
/
Z
Williamsburg
Bridges to Lower Manhattan
Alternatives utilize Fulton
A
/
C
line,
J
/
Z
line or
2
/
3
line in Queens/Brooklyn to access existing
tunnels/bridges to Lower Manhattan. These
alternatives do not use the LIRR Atlantic Branch.
Includes ferry, bus, bus rapid transit (BRT) and highway
alternatives
Alternatives serve Midtown first, with service continuing
to Lower Manhattan
Alternatives utilize LIRR Atlantic Branch from Jamaica
or Howard Beach and connect to the existing
A
/
C
Cranberry Tunnel to Lower Manhattan
Alternatives utilize LIRR Atlantic Branch from Jamaica
or Howard Beach and connect to the existing
2
/
3
Clark Street Tunnel to Lower Manhattan
Alternatives utilize LIRR Atlantic Branch from Jamaica
or Howard Beach and connect to the existing
4
/
5
Joralemon Tunnel to Lower Manhattan
tblLongList9-29-05.xls
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9/29/2005 LM-Jamaica/JFK Airport Transportation Project
LONG LIST ALTERNATIVE DEVELOPMENT SUMMARY
Group
Name
Alternatives Included in Group
#
1
ATLANTIC BRANCH - NEW
TUNNEL
2,3,4,5,6,7,8,31,71,72,74,75,76,80,90,97,120,
121,123,128,130,132
22
2
ATLANTIC BRANCH - MONTAGUE
TUNNEL
9,10,11,12,13,15,30,33,39,54,115,116,117,
118
14
3
ATLANTIC BRANCH - CRANBERRY
TUNNEL
40,45,46,47,48,49,59
7
4
ATLANTIC BRANCH - CLARK
TUNNEL
60
1
5
ATLANTIC BRANCH - JORALEMON
TUNNEL
25,56,79
3
6
ATLANTIC BRANCH - RUTGERS
TUNNEL
57,58
2
7
ATLANTIC BRANCH - MANHATTAN
AND WILLIAMSBURG BRIDGES
41,61,62,127
4
8
NON-ATLANTIC BRANCH RAIL
ALIGNMENTS
16,17,18,43,50,51,52,53,55,85
10
9
OTHER MODAL ALTERNATIVES
20,23,38,63,102,119,133,134,135,136,137,
138,139,140
14
10
MIDTOWN OPTIONS
78,81,84,92,96,141
6
11
ENHANCEMENTS AND CHANGES
TO EXISTING SYSTEM
64,86,98,107,108,114,122,124,125,126,129
11
CONSOLIDATED LONG LIST ALTERNATIVES
94
(1) Master Long List (p. 6-50) - Description of 141 project alternatives. Columns
include the alternative ID number, alternative title, a brief description, transit mode,
markets served (i.e., whether alternative serves the airport, Long Island commuter, or
Queens commuter markets), the East River crossing, implementation timeframe, and
the source of the alternative.
ALTERNATIVES INCLUDED IN EACH GROUP
(2) Combined Alternatives (p. 52-61) - Lists the 47 combined/consolidated
alternatives. Columns include the same alternative ID number, name description and
source, as is shown in the Master Long List; however, there is an additional column on
the right hand side which shows why the alternative was combined and what alternative
it has been combined with.
(3) Group 1-11 Summaries (p. 63-92) - Lists all 94 alternatives by group, including
graphic depictions of each group. These maps provide a general graphic of the route
for all of the alternatives within the group. In addition, for any individual alternative you
can follow the columns as the route for the alternative moves from Lower Manhattan
through Brooklyn, Queens or Long Island. This will help to understand the proposed
East River crossing, alignment and stops included in each alternative.
This document summarizes the project's long list alternative development process and
includes the following information:
tblLongList9-29-05.xls
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9/29/2005 Master Long List
Description and source of 141 project alternatives Alt. #
Name
Description
Mode
Market
Served
ERX
Timeframe
Source
1
Jamaica to Atlantic
Terminal Only Two seat airport service to LM from JFK on existing AirTrain right of way to
Jamaica Station Two seat commuter service to LM from Jamaica Station Airport and commuter services continue west from Jamaica Station via
converted LIRR Atlantic Branch to the existing Atlantic Terminal station,
where passengers make a transfer connection to subway lines for the trip to
LM. This alternative could serve as an interim/phasing option for many of the
other alternatives
Rail-
Hybrid
Both
Airport
and
Commuter
N/A
Short
LMDC
Feasibility
Study
2
New Tunnel via
Jamaica -
Potential Second
Ave Subway
Connection One seat airport service to LM from JFK on existing AirTrain right of way via
Jamaica Station One seat commuter service to LM from Jamaica Station Airport and commuter services continue west from Jamaica Station via
converted LIRR Atlantic Branch with commuter stops at East New York and
Nostrand Ave and a new station below Atlantic Terminal Service continues to a new East River tunnel and terminates in a new LM
station in vicinity of Fulton Transit Center and WTC Potential for future connection to Second Ave Subway at Water St
Rail-
Hybrid
Both
Airport
and
Commuter
New Tunnel
Long
LMDC
Feasibility
Study
3
New Tunnel - Split
Service from
Howard Beach and
Jamaica One seat airport service to LM from JFK on existing AirTrain right of way via
Howard Beach One seat commuter service to LM from Jamaica Station Airport service proceeds west from Howard Beach via the Fulton A Line
with a connection via Old Rockaway Branch to converted LIRR Atlantic
Branch in vicinity of Rockaway Blvd Commuter service proceeds west from Jamaica on the LIRR Atlantic
Branch Commuter service makes stops at East New York and Nostrand Ave and
both services stop at a new station below Atlantic Terminal Service continues through a new East River tunnel and terminates in a new
LM station in vicinity of Fulton Transit Center and WTC
Rail
Both
Airport
and
Commuter
New Tunnel
Long
LMDC
Feasibility
Study
9/29/2005
Page 6 of 92
tblLongList9-29-05.xls Alt. #
Name
Description
Mode
Market
Served
ERX
Timeframe
Source
4
New Tunnel -
Jamaica
Commuter Service
Only Two seat airport service to LM from JFK on existing AirTrain right of way,
requiring transfer from AirTrain at Jamaica Station to new commuter service One seat commuter service to LM from Jamaica Station Commuter service continues