Port LIRR station to get platform canopies

Luke Torrance
State Sen. Elaine Phillips announces a $5 million grant to improve the Port Washington LIRR station behind her. (Photo courtesy of Phillips office)

Port Washington residents waiting for the train will be a little drier and a little more shaded in the near future, as the local Long Island Railroad station will undergo a renovation of the platform canopies.

The fixing of the platform roofs will be funded by a $5 million grant obtained from the state. State Sen. Elaine Phillips (R-Flower Hill) announced the grant during a news conference at the station on Thursday.

Replacing the outdated and crumbling canopies on one of the LIRR’s busiest stations has been on the MTA’s drawing board for years, but funding has never been available — until now,” Phillips said. “This funding will enhance the comfort and experience for thousands of daily commuters and improve their safety by keeping ice and water from collecting on the platforms.”

She added that the improvements to the station’s beat-up, mismatched canopies would make Port Washington more welcoming.

She said this was partly due to the East Side Access project — which will connect the LIRR to Grand Central Station — increasing ridership on the railroad’s Port Washington branch.

According to statistics from the LIRR, Port’s station currently serves over 8,000 riders per day.

Phillips said replacing the canopies was first proposed by the LIRR in 2014 and included it in the agency’s most recent five-year construction plan, but funding has not been available until now.

She said she would urge the LIRR to consult with Port commuters about the design for the new canopies, as well as other improvements to the station like lighting and new signage.

The LIRR has been a focus of the state senator’s throughout 2018. Phillips recently said the agency should freeze fares until service improves for riders.

The grant is from a transit capital fund controlled by the state Senate, where Republicans have a one-person majority.

Phillips’ announcement comes about two weeks from Election Day, when voters will decide whether to re-elect her to a second term or choose her Democratic challenger Anna Kaplan, who currently serves as a council member for the Town of North Hempstead.

Another North Hempstead Councilwoman, Republican Dina De Giorgio, praised the project in a statement.

“[It is] wonderful that the LIRR is making this investment in the Port Washington community and we are grateful to Senator Phillips for her advocacy on behalf of Port Washington,” said De Giorgio, who represents the Port Washington area.

Reach reporter Luke Torrance by email at ltorrance@theislandnow.com, by phone at 516-307-1045, ext. 214, or follow him on Twitter @LukeATorrance.

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