LIRR Long Beach Service Reminder
Two weeks ago, I wrote an entry highlighting the loss of service on the LIRR’s Long Beach line for two weekends due to planned construction. MTA Long Island Rail Road sent out a reminder press release to me earlier this afternoon. Here are the details:
There will be no train service along the Long Beach Branch this weekend, Saturday and Sunday, January 30-31 due to the installation of two new MTA Long Island Rail Road bridges over Powell Creek and Hog Island Channel.
Buses will serve LIRR customers between Long Beach and Valley Stream throughout this weekend. Regular weekday train service will not be affected by the project.
The $24.5 million project, funded through the MTA Capital Program and Federal Transit Administration grants, will also require the shutdown of train service on four other weekends later this year – March 20-21, March 27-28, May 1-2 and May 15-16.
In addition to the weekend dates listed above, work will require the Railroad to close the eastbound platforms at Island Park, Oceanside, East Rockaway and Centre Avenue on five other weekends: February 6-7, 13-14, 20-21, 27-28 and March 6-7. All trains will operate from westbound platforms at those stations.
Eastbound, when busing is in effect, customers will transfer to buses at Valley Stream for the six stations between Lynbrook and Long Beach. Customers should allow up to 34 minutes of additional travel time.
Westbound, customers will board buses at the six stations between Long Beach and Lynbrook bound for Valley Stream, where they will transfer to trains to complete their trip. Buses will depart up to 33 minutes earlier than scheduled train times.
Both the Powell Creek Bridge (located between the LIRR’s East Rockaway and Oceanside stations) and the Hog Island Channel Bridge (located between Oceanside and Island Park stations) were built in the 1920s and served the LIRR for nearly 90 years.
“Without the long term financing for new infrastructure that the MTA’s Capital Program provides, it would be impossible to undertake projects like this,” said LIRR President Helena E. Williams. “These two bridges are being replaced as part of our ongoing efforts to modernize and ensure safe and reliable service for our customers for decades to come.”
MTA Capital Program funds for the project total $14.2 million, while the FTA has added $10.3 million. The international construction company, Kiewit Constructors Inc., is the prime contractor and Kiewit, in turn, is employing a number of subcontractors. Much of the material being used has been purchased from local firms in the tri-state region.
The bridge replacement program has created approximately, 47 new full time jobs, including 12 construction managers at Kiewit and 35 craft labor positions involving operating engineers, dock builders and laborers. Numerous LIRR employees will be installing new track and signals over the bridges.
Work on the project began in November but is only now impacting service. To limit that impact, most of the work will be done during 48-hour weekend shifts.
The Powell Creek and Hog Island Bridges are open-deck wooden and steel structures supported by wooden piles through which water is visible below. Both bridges will be removed and replaced with pre-cast concrete structures, supported by reinforced concrete-filled, steel pipe piles, supporting safer, closed-deck concrete track roadbeds.
A recurring flooding condition at Powell Creek Bridge, which has at times led to delays and temporary service suspensions, will be corrected by raising the elevation of the new bridge by approximately one foot. Bridge walkways will also be installed at both locations to make it safer for LIRR employees.
The project is being coordinated with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the U.S. Coast Guard and the Town of Hempstead.
xoxo Transit Blogger
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[…] Yet again, due to the construction of new bridges over Powell Creek & Hog Island Channel, the MTA Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) is replacing Long Beach Line service with buses. Here are the complete details from a reminder press release that was sent to me earlier: Buses will replace train service for Long Island Rail Road customers traveling between Long Beach and Valley Stream the weekend of Saturday, February 27 and Sunday, February 28 as work continues on the construction of two new railroad bridges over Powell Creek and Hog Island Channel. […]
[…] Also as a reminder for those who plan on riding the LIRR’s Long Beach line, please read this entry for important diversion information. I suggest you print out a copy of the “Service […]