MTA 3rd Track

New Hyde Park Road Grade Crossing Elimination Project

New Hyde Park Road will be closed for 7 months beginning Feb 3, 2020 in order to eliminate the grade crossing.

·       Beginning February 3, 2020, New Hyde Park Road will close from Plaza Avenue to 4th Avenue, lasting approximately seven months.
·       During the road closure, signage and detour plans will be in place, and real-time coordination with NYSDOT will optimize signal timing on Jericho Turnpike. 
·       Pedestrian detour routes will be in place to help commuters access the station from both the east and west sides of New Hyde Park Road. 
·       Throughout January, construction teams will continue to prep the area for road closure.
·       At times, New Hyde Park Road may see intermittent lane closures to allow crews to perform preparatory work safely and efficiently.
·       In advance of any required road closure, the team will make sure to notify the community, and signage and flaggers will direct vehicular traffic while the detour is in place.
·       The New Hyde Park Road grade crossing in New Hyde Park and Garden City is one of eight street-level crossings to be eliminated as part of the project. The at-grade crossing is being reconstructed to feature a new, five-lane underpass with pedestrian sidewalks on the east and west sides of the underpass, as well as a dedicated left-turn lane from southbound New Hyde Park Road onto Clinch Avenue. Plaza Avenue, between Herkomer Street and New Hyde Park Road, will be realigned and become a two-way street, to improve traffic flow associated with the new signal being installed at New Hyde Park Road and Plaza Avenue.

January 18, 2020 in LIRR third track, News

Third Track Reps Address Western Residents’ Concerns

Western Section residents were eager to hear the presentation given by project representatives of the Long Island Rail Road and 3rd Track Constructors.
Listening to residents’ concerns were, from left, Travis Brennan (3TC), State Assemblyman Ed Ra, Town Councilman Tom Muscarella, WPOA President RoseAnn Vernice, Leslie Mesnick (LIRR) and WPOA Vice President TJ Michon.

Recognizing the impact of the Third Track Project on local residents, Western Property Owners Association President RoseAnn Vernice invited guest speakers Travis Brennan, 3TC’s Director of Community Outreach, and Leslie Mesnick, Community Outreach Manager of the Project Management Team from the Long Island Railroad to the WPOA’s September 25 general meeting. The project representatives updated residents on the progress of the third track construction and presented newly revised design elements. Most of the meeting was devoted to hearing the latest information on the project and discussing concerns.

Following the presentation, the representatives answered residents’ questions, ranging from the impact of the construction on the houses along the railroad “right of way” to the safety of commuters trying to access the New Hyde Park Road station. Residents also voiced a major concern with the increased amount of traffic on the side streets near the New Hyde Park Road Station, occurring as a result of the closure of the intersection at Clinch Avenue and New Hyde Park Road. The representatives agreed to bring these traffic and safety concerns back to project managers and work with the Nassau County and Garden City Police Departments to create better traffic patterns to ensure the safety of residents and commuters. The representatives thanked President Vernice for facilitating this well-attended meeting and keeping it productive, stating there were many good questions and suggestions, some urgent, that will be immediately addressed.

Residents were advised that if they have any further questions, concerns or suggestions they should email them to the following address: communityoutreach@LIRRExpansion.com. The project representatives emphasized that each email will receive the attention it deserves. They also mentioned that residents can call the project hotline at 516-203-4955 for immediate consideration.

The WPOA Officers and Directors would like to thank New York State Assemblyman Ed Ra and Town of Hempstead Councilman Tom Muscarella, who is also a Western resident and WPOA member, for attending the general meeting and making themselves available to hear residents’ concerns first-hand.

The next WPOA general meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 20, 7:30 p.m. at the Senior Center on Golf Club Lane.

October 9, 2019 in LIRR third track, News