LongIsland.com
The Metropolitan Transportation Authorityâs LIRR Expansion Project is closing the Main Street railroad crossing in Mineola, the eighth of eight railroad crossings to be permanently eliminated on time and on budget as part of the ...
The crossings had created nuisances to nearby residents with the sounding of train horns and crossing bells, and to motorists who had to experience traffic backups with the closure of crossing gates. Additionally, the crossings posed safety risks to motorists, pedestrians and train occupants with all eight crossings in the busiest segment of the LIRR for both train and vehicular traffic.
The timely elimination of the crossings is just one significant early benefit of the transformative expansion project, which also includes the renewal of stations, raising of bridges and upgrading of switches and infrastructure before crews add a third track to the LIRR Main Line to reduce congestion, expand the railroad’s capacity by up to 50 percent in concert with service to Grand Central Terminal, and promote reverse-commuting to Long Island from New York City.