MENU
SEARCHThe extension will ensure greater service reliability on the Port Washington Branch with the projected service increase associated with the opening of Grand Central Madison.
The extension allows the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) to store and turn more trains on the Port Washington Branch, and stage an additional train to operate extra service from Mets-Willets Pt.
Photo: MTA
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced that crews have completed an extension of track east of Great Neck.
The extension will ensure greater service reliability on the Port Washington Branch with the projected service increase associated with the opening of Grand Central Madison, according to MTA's news release.
The segment of track underneath the recently replaced Colonial Road Bridge was extended 1,100 feet to enable the storage of an additional train of up to 12 cars, an upgrade from the existing track in the area that already accommodated one train of up to 12 cars.
MTA added this extension allows the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) to store and turn more trains on the Port Washington Branch, and stage an additional train to operate extra service from Mets-Willets Pt.
“This infrastructure improvement enables the LIRR to run more trains more reliably on the Port Washington Branch,” said Catherine Rinaldi, MTA Long Island Rail Road interim president. “Completion of this work brings us one step closer to the launch of LIRR’s historic new service to Grand Central Madison, the largest service expansion in LIRR history.”
Under the draft schedules that include service to Grand Central Madison, Port Washington Branch customers will benefit from 36% more AM Peak service and 42% more PM Peak service. The number of local trains terminating or originating at Great Neck and making all local stops to or from Manhattan increases to 20 per weekday after the opening of Grand Central Madison, up from 11 today, an increase of 82%, according to the MTA.
Although the opening of Grand Central Madison was not contingent upon the completion of this project, MTA said it is part of the LIRR’s East Side Access Readiness Plan to enhance the reliability of service that is commensurate with the increase of trains. The project was comprised of three main segments: replacement of the previous century-old bridge that carries Colonial Road over the Port Washington Branch in Great Neck, improvement of drainage at track level, and the track extension.
On a recent episode of METROspectives, METRO Magazine’s Executive Editor Alex Roman sat down with Ana-Maria Tomlinson, Director of Strategic & Cross-Sector Programs at the CSA Group, to explore a bold initiative aimed at addressing those challenges: the development of a National Code for Transit and Passenger Rail Systems in Canada.
Read More →
Competitive FTA grants will support accessibility upgrades, family-friendly improvements, and cost-efficient capital projects at some of the nation’s oldest and busiest transit hubs.
Read More →
The strategy outlines near- and long-term upgrades to ease congestion, support housing growth, and advance statewide climate goals.
Read More →
The 3.92-mile addition will soon take riders west beyond its current Wilshire and Western station in Koreatown, continuing under Wilshire Boulevard through neighborhoods and communities including Hancock Park, Windsor Square, the Fairfax District, and Carthay Circle into Beverly Hills.
Read More →
The procurement advances the agency's broader efforts to modernize its rail fleet and position Regional Rail for long-term improvement.
Read More →
Under the plan, all long-distance routes will transition to a universal single-level fleet, replacing today’s mix of bi-level and single-level equipment.
Read More →
The milestone is a significant step toward modernizing the MAX Blue Line’s power infrastructure, one of the oldest components of the region’s light rail system.
Read More →
The firm will lead the Tier 2 environmental review program for the Coachella Valley Rail Corridor, including the conceptual and preliminary engineering needed to develop project-level environmental clearance.
Read More →
The ATP board’s approval of ARC enables ATP to begin pre-construction activities and advance final design for Austin Light Rail under the first phase of what will be a multibillion-dollar contract.
Read More →
Additionally, construction activity is estimated to generate more than $154 million in tax revenue, including more than $20 million for Los Angeles County.
Read More →
