The recent winter storm delayed work on the Long Island Rail Road’s expansion project, which had made steady progress since construction began in late 2018.
At the Village of New Hyde Park Board of Trustees meeting last Thursday, Trustee Rainer Burger explained the delay.
“On Feb. 4, I mentioned that the new interlocking and signaling system was going to be commissioned on Feb. 22. Unfortunately, due to this storm and with the current weather that’s happening, that has been pushed back to the weekend of Feb. 27,” Burger said.
The LIRR project is adding a third track from Floral Park to Hicksville.
“They’re basically going to have a new track where track 1 is going to be the eastbound track, which will be accessible on the south platform; track 2 will be the future third track and track 3 will be the westbound track, which will be accessible on the north platform,” Burger said. “So, all that work … will be shifted by one week and will happen on Feb. 27 as well.”
Trustee Richard Pallisco announced another development involving the third track project: a proposal to create a video montage documenting the construction in New Hyde Park. The proposed video, which will be given to the New Hyde Park Museum upon completion, will incorporate about 150 photos documenting the village’s appearance before, during and after construction. Mayor Lawrence Montreuil lauded the plan.
“I’ve always said that this is the biggest thing that has ever happened — and perhaps will ever happen — in New Hyde Park, so I think it’s really important that it has been documented,” Montreuil said.
Other announcements at the Thursday night meeting include the village’s status as a 2020 Tree City USA, which the Arbor Day Foundation recently recognized and commended in an email to Pallisco, the chairman of the Beautification and Parks & Recreation Committee. Spring tree planting is also available, and any residents who would like a tree planted in front of their house can call the Department of Public Works at 516-354-0064 to reserve a tree.
