| Port Authority Commits $500 Million to Upgrade Facilities at Stewart Airport
(December 19, 2007) – The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey recently approved a 10-year capital plan that includes $500 million to upgrade facilities at Stewart International Airport in New Windsor, New York.
Even before the Port Authority took over operation of the Hudson Valley airport on November 1 2007, the agency committed the money to build a new 350-vehicle parking lot and to cover the cost of a new road from the airport terminal to the entrance connector from a new exit recently opened off I-84.
Although Port Authority officials have not yet identified specifically how the funds will be used, the airport's "wish list" in the past has include building a new passenger terminal, constructing an international arrivals building, developing a rail link between the Salisbury Mills rail line and the airport, and other infrastructure improvements.
With 11 million people living or working within one hour of the airport, Stewart is expected to become an attractive alternative to LaGuardia, Kennedy and Newark airports as it becomes a stronger regional airport offering more airlines and service. Last year, both JetBlue and AirTran added flights and the airport saw the number of passengers it handled triple from 300,000 in 2006 to 900,000 in 2007. Another discount carrier, Skybus, launched service from Stewart to Columbus, Ohio and Greensboro, North Carolina early in 2008.
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