Work Begins On MTA Expansion In Garden City

Work has officially begun on the LIRR expansion project, running from Floral Park to Hicksville, and Garden City residents should expect to see work crews around the village all month.

There will be crews clearing overgrown vegetation, taking surveys of roads around the rail road tracks, keeping rodents and pests in line and inspecting areas for future work sites.

The Village of Garden City offered details on the work for residents:

• Within the rail road's right-of-way, crews will clear overgrown vegetation to allow for temporary utility relocation and to ensure train service reliability

• A specially equipped van will be driven to specific points to video and photograph the condition of the existing roadways prior to construction beginning. The survey is conducted to ensure the roadways are protected in the unlikely event of any damage.

• Clearing and preparing property for construction may cause the natural habitat of some rodents and other pests to be disturbed. Crews are aware of this and are taking all of the necessary steps to minimize any impacts this may have on residents or adjacent LIRR property.
• Crews will deliver effective rodent and pest control, while at the same time minimizing the volume and toxicity of pesticides used by incorporating tamper-proof stations that limits any pesticides used to inside the stations.
• Control techniques include a combination of pest monitoring, good sanitation practices, education, appropriate solid waste management, and the use of pesticides, when warranted, according to application techniques

• Property located within a specified radius of anticipated construction work requires a pre-construction photo inspection. The survey is conducted to ensure the property is protected in the unlikely event of any damage.
• Vibranalysis Inc., an independent consulting firm, will perform the survey.
• Inspection consists of photographs and written documentation, recording the existing conditions of the interiors and exteriors of the structures surrounding the site.

The village says its working the the MTA and construction crews to minimize the work's impact on residents. The village is considering giving construction crews access to village property to stage equipment if it will help get the work done more quickly. However, the village stressed that it would expect some kind of compensation for the use of its land.

Photo: Patch