Two LIRR stations to undergo improvements

Written by Kyra Senese, Managing Editor
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A rendering of the new Hicksville Station.
AECOM

Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) is conducting major renovations to two of its central stations.

 

New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced Sept. 21 that crews had started work on a $121 million initiative to modernize its Hicksville station, which representatives say gets more traffic than any other Long Island station.

The commuter rail system has also awarded a $64.9 million contract to build a new platform and install new tracks at the Jamaica station, the LIRR’s primary transfer point.

“Revamping these two heavily-trafficked transportation hubs will provide better, faster and more reliable train service for [LIRR] riders,” Gov. Cuomo said. “Time and time again, transportation investment has a ripple effect of progress and economic growth on the surrounding community. These projects are part of this administration’s aggressive and comprehensive plan to revamp the state’s infrastructure and are two more reasons New York is built to lead.”

The $121 million Hicksville station project will include upgrades such as Wi-Fi availability and USB charging stations throughout the station. A renovated interior waiting room will be available, and customers will see the installation of new platforms with glass-enclosed, heated waiting rooms. Upgrades will also entail improved lighting conditions, a transparent canopy roof and improved stairways, escalators and plaza elevators. A video security system and enhanced audio and digital communications systems, as well as improved signage throughout the station, will be implemented to enhance safety measures.

Sen. Jack M. Martins said, “I am pleased to work with Gov. Cuomo to rebuild and revitalize the Hicksville station. With better waiting areas, new platforms and more efficient service, these upgrades will transform the LIRR’s most utilized station for the better. This project will make commuting easier for the thousands of residents who use the Hicksville station each day.”

Crews are also preparing an adjacent work site, which will be home to a new connection to a siding west of the station, officials say.

Work at the 55-year-old station is slated for completion in spring 2018. Representatives say Gov. Cuomo directed LIRR to reduce the construction timeframe, which has resulted in an expected completion target 13 months earlier than originally planned.

“The modernization of the [LIRR] is critical to the economic growth of our region, and thus we commend Gov. Cuomo’s historic investments in infrastructure projects like the Third Track and Double Track, as well as the reconstruction of a brand new LIRR station at one of our busiest hubs in Hicksville,” said Kevin S. Law, president and CEO of the Long Island Association.

The Hicksville project is one of several LIRR projects included in a 2013 Project Labor Agreement between the Buildings and Construction Trades Council of Nassau and Suffolk and LIRR. Officials say the agreement has lowered construction costs by 10 percent. The project is also supported by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Capital Program.

The new platform and tracks at the Jamaica station will allow LIRR to more swiftly re-route trains, remove tracks from service and support supplemental train service to and from the Atlantic Terminal, representatives say.

“More tracks and platforms mean fewer delays. This award for Phase I of the project, which is funded by the Capital Plan, is great news,” MTA Chairman and CEO Thomas F. Prendergast said. “It will help speed up what LIRR customers have come to call ‘the Jamaica Crawl,’ introduce new services such as Wi-Fi and USB charging stations, and build on our ongoing commitment to renew, enhance and expand every aspect of the MTA.”

The updates are part of the Jamaica Capacity Improvements Project to modernize the Jamaica Station, originally built in 1913. The project is meant to simplify track configurations, which the system explains have not undergone much change since the station’s debut. The project began in 2010 and is being completed in two phases with an expected cost of $442 million by late 2019. Funding for Phase 1 of the project was allocated through both the MTA’s 2010–2014 capital plan and the 2015–2019 plan.

“We continue to invest in the upkeep and rehabilitation of critical transportation and infrastructure, guaranteeing a more efficient commute for thousands of New Yorkers,” Congressman Gregory W. Meeks said. “These updates will not only enable us to provide more frequent train service but dramatically improve the travel experience for our riders, overall. I look forward to the progress of this project, and thank Gov. Cuomo for his commitment to this issue.”

LIRR’s Jamaica station will also include glass-enclosed, heated waiting areas, Wi-Fi and USB mobile phone charging stations for customer use. New York-based artist James Little is slated to create vibrant art glass installations on the station’s bridge and the stairs leading from the new station platform to the AirTrain mezzanine.

The Hicksville project renderings are available here and of the Jamaica project renderings can be seen here.

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