JAMAICA, QUEENS, NY (TIP): The MTA and Port Authority launched an in-person community outreach program for essential feedback from the public on the upcoming Jamaica Station redesign project. Gov. Kathy Hochul committed $50 million in the executive budget to fund planning for the project that will better integrate the LIRR with subway lines and AirTrain service.
“Jamaica Station is a key access point to JFK Airport for customers coming from New York City and from Long Island, as well as Westchester and Connecticut thanks to the new connection at Grand Central Madison,” LIRR President Rob Free said. “A newly redesigned Jamaica will improve the customer experience and meet the increasing service demands of the millions of customers who connect there. Customer feedback means we’ll know exactly what those millions of riders want to see in their new station.”
State Sen. Leroy Comrie said Jamaica Station is more than a transit hub and the new upgrades will create a safer, more accessible and more seamless connection between York College and downtown Jamaica.
More than 1,000 subway and LIRR trains pass through Jamaica Station every weekday with more than 200,000 passengers, making it the fourth busiest commuter rail station in North America — surpassed only by Grand Central, Penn Station, and Toronto’s Union Station. Yet, Jamaica Station has been left far behind in terms of customer experience and investment; it was last upgraded 23 years ago, when the AirTrain JFK began operation.
“Jamaica Station is more than a transit hub, it’s a daily touchpoint for families throughout Queens,” Comrie said. “As we look ahead to redesigning this space, it’s important that the voices of the people who use it every day are central to the conversation. This outreach aims to meet riders where they are, listen to their experiences and ensure the future of Jamaica Station reflects the needs of the community.”
This in-person tabling coincides with the previously announced customer survey, which will remain live until Friday, May 8. In recent years, Jamaica Station has seen a significant increase in LIRR service following the opening of Grand Central Madison and completion of the Main Line’s new third track. Each weekday, 790 trains stop at Jamaica, an increase of 54% over the 481 that stopped there before Grand Central Madison opened.
“Jamaica Station is a critical transportation hub for the entire region, connecting millions of riders to their destinations every year,” MTA Construction & Development President Jamie Torres-Springer said. “As we plan the future of the station, rider feedback will ensure the improvements we deliver reflect the needs and priorities of the people who use this station every day.”
Jamaica Station has seen a 54% increase in daily trains passing through since the opening of Grand Central Madison.
The reimagined Jamaica Station will create a better traffic flow, reduce crowding, and build out a world-class station complex providing seamless connection between the LIRR Main Line, NYC Transit and AirTrain JFK for the millions of commuters and airline passengers who depend on it.
“A project that will bring long overdue upgrades to Jamaica Station is about improving the experiences of the riders who use it, and we can’t do that effectively without feedback from LIRR commuters, straphangers and the thousands of airline passengers and employees who use the station to connect to AirTrain JFK every day,” Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia said. “With Governor Hochul’s support, we are transforming JFK into a world-class global gateway that will be served by an equally world-class AirTrain and Jamaica Station.”
The MTA and Port Authority launched an in-person community outreach program for essential feedback from the public on the upcoming Jamaica Station redesign project.
Sen. Comrie thanked the Port Authority, the MTA and Governor Hochul for the $50 million investment for the planning of the reimagined station and her commitment to renaming the Parsons-Archer station after York College.
“As you can see, Jamaica is bustling,” Comrie said. “This presents a real opportunity to create a safer, more accessible, and more seamless connection between York College and downtown Jamaica with the LIRR, subway, AirTrain and bus services so we can deliver upgraded stations that are safe, clean, and secure.”
(Based on a press release issued by MTA, and with inputs from QNS)
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