[aquablue]

There is plenty of room to grow in NYC before needing a new runway. NextGen ATC system will allow more capacity and reduce delays when ever it's finally done. The regional planning board (RPA) suggested nextgen was needed and could add many more operations per hour by reducing traffic conflicts, etc. Also, larger planes will allow passenger growth. It will be enough to put off runway development for a good while I think because it will allow JFK to be less affected by LGA's operations and allow more movements.

You can't eliminate the crosswind runways (22's) because they are in use much of the time due to wind changes and that would reduce capacity. The wind changes in NYC so that it would be dangerous at times with bad crosswinds.

The proposal to make LGA huge is just idiotic. The fact that it is surrounded by high density areas and the need to move a prison makes it very hard. It would be a NIMBY nightmare. Also, the airspace is very clogged, this will make it more so. I would suggest downsizing LGA and increasing the size of Kennedy and Newark instead. Also very difficult, but more likely than this proposal. Whoever thought of allowing 3 major airports within 15 miles or so was very shortsighted. A two airport solution would be cleaner and more efficient. LGA is not necessarily needed if fast rail is developed linking various places with JFK.