Transit officials announced on Thursday the beginning of the planning stages for the redesign of Jamaica Station on the Long Island Rail Road — launching a public outreach campaign to gather feedback from the hundreds of thousands of commuters who travel through the station each day.
The MTA and Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the AirTrain to JFK Airport that terminates at Jamaica, along with elected officials said they will be available in-person at the station to hear riders’ input about the transit hub’s makeover. They also posted QR codes on signs at Jamaica Station for those running to catch the train to scan and provide their thoughts.
“That feedback and the feedback from more community outreach that we do will help us shape the vision that the Port Authority and the MTA together are going to come up with for the future of Jamaica Station,” said MTA Construction & Development President Jamie Torres-Springer.
The visioning process came on the heels of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s announcement in January that she would earmark $50 million in the new state budget to redesign the station, which serves as a convergence point for local, regional and international travelers through the JFK AirTrain, the Long Island Rail Road, and the E and J/Z subway trains. Jamaica Station is the fourth busiest train hub in the nation.
In addition to in-person tabling, the MTA and Port Authority posted sinage with QR codes that will allow travelers to give input on Jamaica Station’s upcoming makeover. Photo by Sadie Brown
The funding, however, will not be made official until Albany approves a budget, which is now more than 20 days overdue, with lawmakers passing a sixth emergency extension on Wednesday as talks continue.
In addition to Hochul, state Sen. Leroy Comrie, whose district includes Jamaica, Queens, strongly supports the makeover.
“Jamaica Station is more than a transit hub, it’s a daily touchpoint for families throughout Queens,” said Comrie. “As we look ahead to redesigning this space, it’s important that the voices of the people who use it every day are central to the conversation. This outreach aims to meet riders where they are, listen to their experiences and ensure the future of Jamaica Station reflects the needs of our community.
What do Jamaica Station commuters think?
Queens local Kion Sawney, said he uses Jamaica Station for everything from commuting to work and to visiting family and friends. He told amNewYork that a redesign of the station should not only improve transit, but the local community.
“ I feel like Jamaica’s more of a transit point— it should be a destination,” Sawney said. “There should be reasons why people get off the train to see the rest of Jamaica as a city, as a community. That’d be really vital and really important.”
He also called the subway station below “terrible,” noting there is constant congestion, and called for a complete revamp of the station.
Other frequent commuters were focused on improving the experience of spending time in Jamaica Station.
James Canizzaro, who lives in Park Slope, Brooklyn, said he uses Jamaica Station when he wants to visit family on Long Island.
Canizzaro, who uses a cane, told amNewYork that at times, waiting on his train or navigating the station, can pose problems for passengers with mobility concerns.
“ They need more seating so I don’t have to lean on a garbage pail,” Canizzaro said as he rested against a garbage can. “So, seating would be good.”
He also wanted improvements to the elevators.
“The elevators could be much faster,” Canizzaro said. “I have missed the train because the elevator took forever.”
Transit officials said that so far, discussions about the remodel have included improving the transfers between services, making ticketing more simplified and faster, creating clearer signage and adding more retail options. They said the project aims to bring Jamaica Station up to par with other major international transit hubs — a necessity given the upcoming modernization of JFK Airport.