The New Hyde Park village board will hold a public information session next Thursday on third track project updates with representatives from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the Long Island Rail Road and the design-build firm behind the project.
The meeting, which will be held in the New Hyde Park Road School auditorium at 7:30 p.m., is the public’s opportunity to hear directly from those behind the project on the current plans, the village announced in the summer newsletter released Tuesday.
The third track project plans to build a 9.8-mile track on the railroad’s main line running from Floral Park to Hicksville. The MTA hired 3TC, a design-build firm, for the project, and details of the plan are unfolding as construction takes place.
Work began in New Hyde Park in June with utility line relocation on Covert Avenue, Second Avenue and Wayne Avenue. Utility relocation work at Covert Avenue will continue through January in preparation of the under-grade crossing construction.
As utilities are being relocated the village board is looking to have the lines placed underground to provide a “more robust and resilient infrastructure in the future,” and improve the village aesthetics by removing large utility poles, according to the newsletter.
The village also announced in the newsletter that it has retained VERTEX Co., a Florida-based engineering firm, to review engineering design and construction documents.
VERTEX has completed several reviews of design plans associated with the project, including the noise control plan, traffic control plans and rodent control plan, and the village questions how adequately all three address potential impacts to New Hyde Park, according to the newsletter.
“These plans do not provide the details necessary, as well as the means and the method for mitigation,” the newsletter states.
The village is also continuing to reach out to the LIRR and 3TC to obtain documents such as the communications and public outreach plan.
“The village board will continue to pro-actively address these issues with 3TC and the LIRR to mitigate the impacts to our community,” the newsletter states.
Reach reporter Rebecca Klar by email at rklar@theislandnow.com, by phone at 516-307-1045, ext. 204, or follow her on Twitter @rebeccaklar_.
