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Even as most members of the City Planning Commission criticized the proposed Kennedy Airport rail link, that panel voted 12-1 yesterday to authorize the use of the Van Wyck Expressway median for the controversial project.
Foes of the $600-million elevated rail line who watched the proceedings said they were shocked that the vote came just after a staff report and separate speeches cast severe doubt on the project's usefulness and cost.
But the planning panel's approval won't finalize the deal as officials of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the sponsors of the project, had earlier hoped.
The City Council's Land Use Committee will also review the project, Speaker Peter Vallone (D-Astoria) announced before the commission's vote. That annoucement also came as a surprise, since just...