Cuomo Fast Tracks LIRR Hicksville Project
Gov. Cuomo has announced that he is fast tracking the $121 million modernization project for the LIRR’s Hicksville station. Here are more details via the official press release:
Governor Andrew Cuomo has put the planned $121 million modernization of the Long Island Rail Road’s aging Hicksville station on the fast track, announcing the LIRR and the prime contractor have agreed to complete the job in 22 months, 13 months sooner than planned.
“Hicksville station is the LIRR’s third busiest station – topped only by Penn and Jamaica – and it’s a key transfer point for customers on the Port Jefferson and Ronkonkoma branches,” Governor Cuomo said. “To have such an important transportation hub encumbered by construction for three years was out of the question. In order to speed up the process both the LIRR and the contractor have worked out a unique construction methodology shortening the total construction time from 35 to 22 months.”
The Governor’s announcement came as the MTA Board today unanimously approved the award of $56.7 million construction contract for Hicksville to Railroad Construction Company/Citnalta, a joint venture. LIRR officials said work could get underway as early as July.
Governor Cuomo noted that the Hicksville upgrade is one of number LIRR projects subject to an innovative 2013 Project Labor Agreement between the LIRR and the Buildings and Construction Trades Council of Nassau and Suffolk that has helped reduce construction costs by 10%. The entire project is funded by the MTA Capital Program, of which the state is the chief supporter.
The Hicksville modernization is really two projects in one, the complete rehabilitation of the 55 year-old station at a cost of $68.8 million and construction of the Hicksville North Track Siding at the west end the station at a cost of $52.4 million. The North Track Siding will be built by the LIRR’s workforce. Railroad Construction Company/Citnalta will handle the station renovation and prepare the North Track Siding site.
The station upgrades include new platforms with glass-enclosed, heated waiting rooms, lighting, translucent canopy roof, stairways, escalators, plaza elevators, a video security system, audio and digital communications systems and signage. MTA Arts & Design plans artist designed ceramic mosaic murals and laminated art glass. If construction begins this summer, the station work should be done by spring 2018.
The North Siding will connect Track 1 at Hicksville to an existing track siding situated about one-half mile west of the station platform. The siding will improve the Railroad’s ability to reroute trains in the event of maintenance, construction or service disruptions.
Railroad Construction Company is a major East Coast general contractor with experience in all areas of civil construction, rail construction and building construction and is currently working for the LIRR on the new Colonial Road Improvement Project near Great Neck station. Citnalta is a Bohemia, L.I based construction firm that has over the past decade completed more a dozen projects for the MTA, including rehabilitation of 15 subway stations.
The design for the Hicksville Station revitalization was done by AECOM, a global provider of professional technical and management support services to a broad range of markets, including transportation, facilities, environment, energy, water and government.
xoxo Transit Blogger
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