Community Corner
LIRR Preparing For Long Island Reopening This Week
New York sports teams can also begin their spring training today, and urged leagues to find a way to hold games without fans in the stands.
LONG ISLAND, NY — Speaking at Jones Beach on Sunday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said that Long Island is still on track to begin phase one of reopening this week, and that the LIRR is preparing for more riders.
At his daily briefing on Sunday, Cuomo said that Long Island is still on track to begin reopening on Wednesday, if the numbers continue to improve. The Hudson Valley is on track to reopen on Tuesday. New York City is not going to be reopening next week, though.
"We need to get the number of deaths down on Long Island, and the number of tracers up," Cuomo said.
Find out what's happening in Long Beachfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
If the region begins to reopen as planned, only some businesses will be opening in the first wave. Construction, agriculture, forestry, fishing, hunting, retail (limited to curbside or in-store pickup or drop off), manufacturing and wholesale trade are allowed to reopen as part of phase one. Other industries will reopen later as the state moves through the gradual phases of reopening.
The MTA is getting ready for increased ridership that would come with reopening, Cuomo said. The transportation agency will be cleaning and disinfecting every bus and train every day.
Find out what's happening in Long Beachfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The LIRR will also be adding cars to trains, Cuomo said. The goal is to increase space on the trains so that riders can more easily social distance. Even with the increased cars, masks will still be mandatory for all LIRR riders.
" I think you're making a grave mistake if you don't use a mask in your own personal life," said Cuomo. "We know that it works."
In addition to getting ready to open reopen, Cuomo said that, starting today, all professional sports leagues in New York can begin training camps for their athletes.
Cuomo also urged sports leagues to restart games without fans watching live, if possible. He said the leagues should figure out how to restart games so they can be broadcast on TV and give people some sense of normalcy.
Campgrounds and RV parks across the state are also slated to open tomorrow. Social distancing is still required at these facilities.
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