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Victoria Genna will get a ride to Kennedy Airport today from her family as she leaves for a vacation on Marco Island in Florida.
But when she returns Friday, Genna's family won't pick her up. Instead, Genna will take the AirTrain, which will be up and running from Kennedy Airport to Jamaica on Wednesday for the first time. She'll connect to the Long Island Rail Road and avoid the rush-hour roadways.
"It's going to be very convenient for travelers, especially on Long Island, where there's so much traffic all the time," said Genna, 28, of Hicksville.
So long, Van Wyck Expressway. Long- term parking, it's been nice knowing you. A $30-plus car service to Kennedy Airport: Buh-bye. Just in time for the holiday travel season, Long Islanders now have a new choice to get to Kennedy Airport. It's a true change at Jamaica, where commuters can board the AirTrain from a new terminal constructed at the railroad station.
Officials with the Port Authority, which owns and operates AirTrain, say the service will provide easier access to the airport for travelers from the city and Long Island. But some commuter advocates worry the additional passengers could overcrowd LIRR trains, and that it won't be as convenient as it sounds.
"I realize the utility of it and support a connection from Manhattan to JFK in general," said Peter Haynes, president of the LIRR Commuters Campaign. "The p.m. rush is a concern. The trains are already crowded and lots of people with bags heading toward the AirTrain will only make it worse."
The 8.1-mile light-rail system to Kennedy Airport is expected to carry up to 34,000 passengers a day. A trip from Jamaica averages 12 minutes. At peak...