LIRR expansion project DEIS published
Written by Kyra Senese, Managing Editor
MTA Long Island Rail Road/John Spoltore
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) Expansion Project has released a Draft Environmental Impact Statement, moving the project one step further toward construction.
The LIRR Expansion Project is set to add a third track to the 9.8-mile corridor along the LIRR’s Main Line between its Floral Park and Hicksville stations, which is said to be an often congested area. The project would also eliminate all seven street-level grade crossings along the corridor.
“Expanding the Main Line is crucial to the future of Long Island and its residents,” said New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo. “By increasing capacity on one of the LIRR’s busiest corridors and eliminating all street-level grade crossings, this project will result in less traffic, less congestion and a transportation network that meets the needs of current and future generations of Long Islanders. Today’s action marks an important milestone in this project’s completion and is another major step forward in our efforts to build a brighter future for Long Island.”
The proposed project will include the following work:
- Eliminating all grade crossings within the 9.8-mile project corridor
- Building sound walls to reduce noise
- Station upgrades
- Added parking
- Increased reliance on private construction industry expertise to minimize construction duration, impacts and cost
- Increased public outreach to engage all stakeholders and use their input in project planning
“Gov. Cuomo challenged us to undertake a project to transform the LIRR experience for both passengers and local communities, and to do so with an unprecedented level of community consultation and outreach—and that’s exactly what we’re doing now,” said MTA Chairman Thomas Prendergast. “We have gone to extraordinary lengths to listen to what the public wants out of this project. We will continue to study the impacts of this proposal and take input from all stakeholders, including our neighbors along the tracks and Main Line customers from across Long Island and New York City.”
Project renderings can be seen here.
