New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has announced that the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has reached a major milestone on the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) Expansion Project with the release of its Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The project’s Draft EIS is available for download at the project’s website at www.aModernLI.com.
"Expanding the Main Line is crucial to the future of Long Island and its residents,” stated Governor Cuomo. “By increasing capacity on one of the LIRR’s busiest corridors and eliminating all street-level grade crossings, this project will result in less traffic, less congestion and a transportation network that meets the needs of current and future generations of Long Islanders. Today’s action marks an important milestone in this project’s completion and is another major step forward in our efforts to build a brighter future for Long island.”
The LIRR Expansion Project will add a third track to 9.8 miles along the Main Line of the LIRR between Floral Park and Hicksville.
The proposed project includes:
- No residential property acquisitions;
- Eliminating all grade crossings within the 9.8 mile project corridor;
- Building sound walls to reduce noise;
- Station upgrades and additional parking.
“Governor Cuomo challenged us to undertake a project to transform the LIRR experience for both passengers and local communities and to do so with an unprecedented level of community consultation and outreach – and that’s exactly what we’re doing now,” remarked MTA Chairman Thomas Prendergast. “We have gone to extraordinary lengths to listen to what the public wants out of this project. We will continue to study the impacts of this proposal and take input from all stakeholders, including our neighbors along the tracks and Main Line customers from across Long Island and New York City.”
The public comment period for the Draft EIS will continue through January 31, 2017. Anyone may comment on the Draft EIS by writing via www.aModernLI.com, to info@aModernLI.com or visiting the Project Information Office at Mineola Station, south platform. Another six public hearings, focused on the Draft EIS, will be held in January 2017. Input from the current public comment period will be incorporated into the publication of the Final EIS, expected in 2017.