Floral Park, Mineola LIRR projects getting back on track

Janelle Clausen
An artist’s rendering shows what the New Hyde Park Long Island Rail Road station could look like if the third track project, first announced in January, is completed. (Photo from third track scoping document)

The third track project in Floral Park and Harrison Garage in Mineola are on or close to schedule, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s chief development officer said at a Long Island Rail Road committee meeting on Tuesday.

The ongoing work in Floral Park, New Hyde Park and Mineola is part of a $2.5 billion project, where the MTA through its contractor 3TC plan to install nearly 10 miles of track along the LIRR’s main line between Floral Park and Hicksville and eliminate street-level grade crossings.

Janno Lieber, the chief development officer for the MTA, said the company is “well along” in advancing the installation of the third track in Floral Park and currently installing piers for the third track to be installed on. Discussions are also ongoing with affected Floral Park residents, he said.

“We’re very proud of the fact that we’ve had community discussion in Floral Park, which has historically been a place where they were sensitive about Long Island Rail Road work,” Lieber said.

He also announced that Covert Avenue, where contractors demolished an old warehouse at 124 Covert Ave., will be likely be closed in April – a month later than New Hyde Park trustees previously expected.

According to the LIRR Expansion Project newsletter, a project there aims to eliminate the grade crossing and create a vehicular and pedestrian underpass. It would be one of seven replaced between Floral Park and Hicksville.

“Covert Avenue is scheduled for closure in April and there is a ton of work going on getting that ready,” Lieber said.

The construction of the new parking garage at the Mineola Station, just west of Mineola Boulevard between Harrison Avenue and First Street, is also back on track, Lieber.

The LIRR Expansion Project newsletter describes it as a 551-space parking garage replacing a surface area, which will result in a gain of 446 parking spots in the area for LIRR commuters and downtown Mineola.

“We did have some delays because of struggles with getting utility locations done with PSEG,” Lieber said, “but we brought it back for being on schedule for that construction to be completed in the third quarter of 2020.”

In other third track business, Lieber said workers are demolishing portions of the platform at the Carle Place station “so passenger service can be retained throughout that construction.” A new platform is slated to open in the second quarter of 2020, he said, and a temporary access ramp has also been installed.

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