Town: Upgrades Slated for Port Washington Train Station

Long Island Railroad riders can expect upgrades to the Port Washington station, officials said.

MTA Long Island Rail Road is installing a temporary bridge extension to an existing pedestrian bridge at the station, according to the Town of North Hempstead. When completed, the bridge extension, an idea proposed by the LIRR and approved by the town, will restore pedestrian access to the Haven Avenue side of Port Washington Station. The bridge leading to the Haven Avenue side was closed in April after the LIRR found that elements of the concrete structure had deteriorated beyond repair.

In addition, the town will be repaint approximately 172 parking spaces, using a high visibility paint for illumination for directional arrows, crosswalks and possible “No Parking” zebra striped areas. The town will also reconstruct the cement divider between Haven Avenue and the parking lot and providing additional public safety staff between Thursday, Oct. 16 and Sunday, Oct. 19 during the extension bridge construction, and in subsequent weeks. In addition, the town will work closely with the Port Washington Police Department to assure that traffic patterns and pedestrian traffic flows smoothly during the construction and after the new bridge is in place.

The announcement coincides with the news that the LIRR will conduct track work the first two weekends in October.

The upgrades aim to improve safety and quality of life for commuters, said North Hempstead Supervisor Judi Bosworth.

“The commuters at our busy Port Washington train station will certainly benefit greatly from this new pedestrian bridge and the refurbishing of the Haven Avenue divider and high visibility striping,” Bosworth said. “This project has been a great example of a cooperative effort between many levels of government and the LIRR and it has resulted in a very positive outcome.”

To carry out the four-day work plan, the LIRR must close the Haven Avenue parking lot all day on Saturday, Oct. 18 and Sunday, Oct. 19 to accommodate the necessary construction equipment. The project will have no impact on train service.

The temporary structure is being built with modular, pre-fabricated materials and, once installed, will result in six fewer parking spaces in the Haven Avenue parking lot.

4-Day Work Schedule

The LIRR said the project construction schedule is as follows:

• Thursday, Oct. 16 – LIRR workers and contractors will set up a work zone that will require an area of 10-12 parking spaces.
• Friday, Oct. 17 – Preliminary staging work continues.
• Saturday, Oct. 18: The Haven Avenue parking lot will be closed to accommodate the heavy construction equipment needed to erect the bridge extension.
• Sunday, Oct. 19: Closure of Haven Avenue parking lot continues until the work is completed.
• Monday, Oct. 20: The Haven Avenue parking lot will be re-opened to commuters and the new bridge extension will be ready for their use.

The footprint of the new stairway will take up the space now used for six parking spots, an area approximately 16 feet wide by 46 feet long including the stairway and landing area at ground level. Additional lighting will be installed in the area.

For more information, call 311.

Related:

LIRR: Weekend Track Work Planned for Port Washington LIne