(NEW YORK, NY) — John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) is making way for a $10 billion makeover.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Governor Andrew Cuomo is expected to announce the details of the renovation project in the coming weeks.
The project will include new roads, improved taxiways for aircraft, and a modernized terminal layout. However, the airport will not be getting a new runway.
“Right now, a new runway is not on the table,” said Rick Cotton, Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
Runway projects are known to be controversial because of noise and pollution concerns. However, people familiar with the airport’s development say that the agency has been considering a new runway since 2011, but the idea was put on hold because of the politics surrounding it.
A new runway at JFK would most likely be built over the Jamaica Bay wetlands and cost billions of dollars.
For now, JFK’s four runways are expected to handle forecasted passenger growth through 2035. However, critics disagree and say the time to think about a new runway is now.
