LGA & JFK Airport Operations Centers

Recent airport redevelopment programs at LaGuardia and JFK have significantly altered the operation of their landside networks. With flight activity levels remaining constant, major airport construction poses challenges unlike that of other major infrastructure projects: the need for continuous around the clock operations, a particular susceptibility to weather, and the demands of a diverse customer base highly sensitive to trip consistency, travel time reliability, and other aspects of the travel experience.

From the start of construction, Sam Schwartz was instrumental in developing the traffic management operations of Airport Operations Centers (AOCs) to help with these issues at both facilities. The AOC is a powerful platform with multiple tools to help manage the landside network, which includes airport roadways and frontages, ground transportation services, AirTrain, and the overall customer experience.

As part of a team at the LGA AOC, Sam Schwartz served as the Redevelopment Transportation Management Plan Lead Coordinator. Sam Schwartz also led the development of traffic management scenarios for incidents.

For the JFK AOC, Sam Schwartz is leading the development of the traffic management operations and team. The firm is responsible for the real-time, active management of landside traffic through comprehensive monitoring; direct coordination with facility partner departments, PANYNJ Operations, and especially the Port Authority Police Department; regular stakeholder communications; and continuous improvements in Standard Operating Procedures. Sam Schwartz’s robust and hands-on approach at the AOC will help ensure the successful maintenance of the airport’s operations, which will allow redevelopment to progress without landside obstruction.

Services / Traffic