New York City

An update on Cuomo's biggest infrastructure projects

Six major projects the governor is using to build his record.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo ceremoniously unveils the second span of the Governor Mario M. Cuomo bridge.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo ceremoniously unveils the second span of the Governor Mario M. Cuomo bridge. Mike Groll/Office of the Governor

As the Democratic gubernatorial primary approaches, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has been leaning on his track record of completing big public projects. In its recent endorsement of Cuomo, The New York Times cited a list of major infrastructure achievements as a reason to vote for the incumbent.

Here’s a look at some of the biggest construction projects underway in the state – and Cuomo has his fingerprints over all of them.

Gateway rail tunnel

The Gateway Program, a set of projects to upgrade and expand passenger rail service on both sides of the Hudson River, has been recognized as one of the country’s most urgent infrastructure needs. At the backbone would be a new rail tunnel and the rehabilitation of the existing century-old rail tunnel from New Jersey to Manhattan. The existing tunnel carries more than 200,000 passengers daily and a potential shutdown could threaten 10 percent of the nation’s GDP. The Obama administration had agreed to pay for half of the program’s costs, now projected to exceed $30 billion, but the Trump administration has expressed its opposition to providing federal funding. Congress has set aside funding that can be used for Gateway anyway, and local officials have reworked the funding plan to make up for the lack of federal support. Expected to be completed by 2030, aspects of the project have started moving forward incrementally, with two of the three casings being placed that will be used to connect the tunnel to Penn Station. The deadline to place the third is looming over developers as construction on the Hudson Yards megaproject on the ground above where it needs to be placed nears completion. Early construction began last fall on replacing the equally debilitated Portal North Bridge in New Jersey, which is a critical piece of the Gateway Program.

LaGuardia Airport

Laguardia Airport rendering
Image courtesy Office of the Governor
In June 2016, Gov. Andrew Cuomo was joined by then-Vice President Joe Biden – who had famously compared the facility to one out of a “Third World country” – to announce that renovations had begun on LaGuardia Airport to help it tend to its decades-old terminals. An estimated $8 billion is being spent on a two-part project that Cuomo’s office described as “the first complete rebuild of an airport in the United States in more than 20 years.” The first part of the project is to redesign Terminal B, also known as the Central Terminal Building, into a 1.3 million-square-foot terminal with 37 gates and a grander main entrance. The second part, which began last year, is set to connect the Delta-operated C and D terminals to this new facility – an undertaking that will move the airport closer to the highway and expand aircraft taxiways to reduce delays. A new roadway network, the now-open West Parking Garage and an AirTrain between the airport and the Mets-Willets Point No. 7 subway station are intended to improve transportation connections to the airport. In its entirety, the renovation is expected to be done by 2026, although the governor’s office said Terminal B would be open to the public in 2019 and be fully completed in 2021. Work on Concourse A is set to be completed by 2022. Magic Johnson Enterprises and Loop Capital invested $10 million in the project and the work to the C and D terminals will be financed mostly by Delta with up to $600 million from the Port Authority. At the end of July, a highway overpass was completed that should improve traffic around the airport.

Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge

Andrew Cuomo standing in front of the Mario Cuomo Bridge
Mike Groll/Office of the Governor
Construction on the Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge – named for Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s father – began in 2013. It replaced the Tappan Zee Bridge that connected Rockland and Westchester counties, with the first span opening in August 2017. The construction of the new bridge and the demolition of the old one were expected to be done by April, according to the contract between the state Thruway Authority and Tappan Zee Constructors, meaning the project missed its deadline. The second span was scheduled to be opened for traffic on Friday, with four lanes going in each direction, but the opening was stalled due to a safety issue. It’s now scheduled to open on Tuesday. There’s no word on when the demolition of the old Tappan Zee Bridge will be completed, but so far the project has managed to stay under the initial $3.98 billion budget – although it reportedly may end up costing more than $4 billion.

Penn Station complex

A rendering of Penn Station
Image courtesy the MTA
The $3 billion project to transform Penn Station and the adjacent James A. Farley Post Office into a “world-class transportation hub” would address the overcrowding and limited capacity at the train complex. From the inside, Penn Station would be altered to include expanded corridors, natural sunlight, reconfigured connectivity between the street and lower level, and upgrades to signage and wayfinding facilities. Pedestrians on the street would see retail and commercial space and a number of new entrances. An underground pedestrian pathway is in the works to connect Penn Station to the old post office, which is being converted into the Moynihan Train Hall – roughly 255,000 square feet (about the size of the main room at Grand Central Terminal) – that would provide services for Amtrak and Long Island Rail Road passengers. Construction on Moynihan Train Hall began in August 2017, and the entire project is expected to be completed by 2020.

Kennedy Airport

John F. Kennedy International Airport, the 16th busiest in the world in 2016, is expected to reach capacity by the mid-2020s, according to Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office. In response, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey selected a team in September 2017 to do the initial engineering and design of the airport’s $10 billion redevelopment. In executing the transformation, the Mott MacDonald and Grimshaw Architects team will prioritize six goals: interconnecting terminals, redesigning roadways into a circular configuration, centralizing and expanding parking lots within that ring road configuration, building retail and conference facilities, expanding airplane taxiways and adding flight slots, and adding security technology. There are also plans to expand new terminals and redevelop old ones and improve both road and mass transit access to the airport. While construction hasn’t started, a Port Authority spokesperson told City & State that the project is “moving forward” and that “extensive discussions continue with all terminal operators” in order to coordinate the planning process. “We continue to gain momentum and will be making an announcement about the first phase of redevelopment in the near future.”

Buffalo waterfront transformation

Buffalo Waterfront
Shutterstock
A series of three projects along Buffalo’s waterfront is intended to highlight the city’s history and improve access to the water. In August, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office announced a $24 million plan to improve recreation opportunities for local residents and enhance Buffalo’s tourism sector, which it said generated $3 billion in direct visitor spending last year. The first project is the $10 million transformation of a two-acre area near the water where the old Memorial Auditorium used to be located. The state plans to build walkable streets with “elements of the historic street pattern” and an underground area for parking to set the stage for future development. A request for proposals is supposed to go out in the fall. The second project will be a $4 million replica of a vessel – Gov. DeWitt Clinton’s 1825 Erie Canal packet boat – that will be housed in a 4,000-square-foot facility. Finally, the state plans to build a $10 million Buffalo Blueway – a network of waterway public access points.

Correction: The planned renovation of Penn Station no longer includes the removal of the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden.

X
This website uses cookies to enhance user experience and to analyze performance and traffic on our website. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners. Learn More / Do Not Sell My Personal Information
Accept Cookies
X
Cookie Preferences Cookie List

Do Not Sell My Personal Information

When you visit our website, we store cookies on your browser to collect information. The information collected might relate to you, your preferences or your device, and is mostly used to make the site work as you expect it to and to provide a more personalized web experience. However, you can choose not to allow certain types of cookies, which may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer. Click on the different category headings to find out more and change our default settings according to your preference. You cannot opt-out of our First Party Strictly Necessary Cookies as they are deployed in order to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting the cookie banner and remembering your settings, to log into your account, to redirect you when you log out, etc.). For more information about the First and Third Party Cookies used please follow this link.

Allow All Cookies

Manage Consent Preferences

Strictly Necessary Cookies - Always Active

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Sale of Personal Data, Targeting & Social Media Cookies

Under the California Consumer Privacy Act, you have the right to opt-out of the sale of your personal information to third parties. These cookies collect information for analytics and to personalize your experience with targeted ads. You may exercise your right to opt out of the sale of personal information by using this toggle switch. If you opt out we will not be able to offer you personalised ads and will not hand over your personal information to any third parties. Additionally, you may contact our legal department for further clarification about your rights as a California consumer by using this Exercise My Rights link

If you have enabled privacy controls on your browser (such as a plugin), we have to take that as a valid request to opt-out. Therefore we would not be able to track your activity through the web. This may affect our ability to personalize ads according to your preferences.

Targeting cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.

Social media cookies are set by a range of social media services that we have added to the site to enable you to share our content with your friends and networks. They are capable of tracking your browser across other sites and building up a profile of your interests. This may impact the content and messages you see on other websites you visit. If you do not allow these cookies you may not be able to use or see these sharing tools.

If you want to opt out of all of our lead reports and lists, please submit a privacy request at our Do Not Sell page.

Save Settings
Cookie Preferences Cookie List

Cookie List

A cookie is a small piece of data (text file) that a website – when visited by a user – asks your browser to store on your device in order to remember information about you, such as your language preference or login information. Those cookies are set by us and called first-party cookies. We also use third-party cookies – which are cookies from a domain different than the domain of the website you are visiting – for our advertising and marketing efforts. More specifically, we use cookies and other tracking technologies for the following purposes:

Strictly Necessary Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Functional Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Performance Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Sale of Personal Data

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.

Social Media Cookies

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.

Targeting Cookies

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.