USA TODAY International Edition
Rikers a key to LaGuardia?
Rikers Island could become a key cog for New York’s LaGuardia Airport. At least that’s one vision for the island that’s included in a city- sponsored proposal on what to with the notorious incarceration island that sits next to the airport.
The report — from the Independent Commission on New York City Criminal Justice and Incarceration Reform — follows last week’s news that New York City will shut down its campus of prisons at Rikers Island.
Once that happens, New York would decide what to do with the prime real estate. One proposal calls for Rikers Island to be incorporated into the footprint of nearby LaGuardia, permitting a new runway and additional terminal space.
“The Island is uniquely positioned to accommodate an expanded LaGuardia Airport that would reduce delays and could serve as many as 12 million more passengers annually,” the commission says in its 148- page report, which looks primarily at two proposals for the land.
Incorporating Rikers into LaGuardia could expand flight capacity by 40%, according to calculations in the report.
The commission’s proposal comes as an $ 8 billion ( or more) overhaul of LaGuardia already is underway. While it’s not clear how easily a Rikers Island proposal could be incorporated into the existing effort, local transportation advocates say the idea is worth pursuing.