LIRR Discusses Port Washington Expansion

By Rich Jacques

The question isn't if a track extension proposal by the Long Island Rail Road will affect the quaint community of Port Washington, it's a simply question of exactly how.

That was the word from LIRR President Helena Williams Monday at a press conference in Port Washington to announce the opening of a temporary LIRR information center at the train station which will run through the end of the week.

The LIRR center will help give residents information and a chance to voice concerns regarding the final stages of a plan to construct an extension of tracks at the train yard in the center of town as part of an LIRR expansion project, according to the LIRR.

Williams said the LIRR is ready to go on the project that she feels is extremely important to the future of our Port Washington Branch. 

"We're always ready for a conversation on the how, we don't really think people want a conversation on if," said Williams. "We are getting overwhelming support from Port Washington customers for Port Washington service."

Most questions Monday centered on reduced parking which is part of the plan and how the extra tracks might affect the aesthetics of the downtown area.

"Our rail road station as you can see is in the middle of what we like to think is a quaint little town," said Town of North Hempstead Councilwoman Dina DeGiorgio, speaking at the press conference. "We would like to believe that we will continue to have a quaint town."

DeGiorgio said her goal is to engage in a productive dialogue with the rail road while keeping in mind the benefits and protections to her constituents.

Under a preferred proposal, the LIRR would purchase a piece of property from the Town of North Hempstead at fair market value and also utilize a portion of the LIRR’s Haven Avenue lot, resulting in the loss of approximately 40 parking spaces. If the LIRR uses only its own property for the track extensions, the entire LIRR Haven Avenue lot, including approximately 140 parking spaces would be needed for the track extensions.  

The LIRR’s proposal to build track extensions at the existing Port Washington Yard will immediately improve train service for Port Washington Branch customers and also will mean more service to the East Side of Manhattan at Grand Central Terminal once the East Side Access project is completed.

The track extensions will allow two additional trains to be stored at the Port Washington Station, paving the way for additional express service and improved service to Citi Field and U.S. Open events – both served by the Port Washington line. 

Once the East Side Access project is complete, the LIRR estimates that approximately 45 percent of its Port Washington Branch customers will opt for trains heading to Grand Central with commuting time cut by up to 40 minutes a day as crosstown subway and bus trips become a thing of the past. In order to offer the additional service to Grand Central, the LIRR requires more space to position extra trains at the existing Port Washington yard so they can be ready for the AM rush.

The project will not negatively impact the overall appearance of the Port Washington station and yard area, which currently is used to store trains, according to the LIRR. The two extra trains that will be stored on the proposed track extensions will be utilized throughout the day.

Options for the track extension in Port Washington:

Option A: Extension of Yard Tracks 1 & 8: 
This option would be possible if the LIRR could purchase – at fair market value - a 7,900 square foot parcel of land now part of the East Parking Lot and currently owned by the Town of North Hempstead.  The town’s lot, with restriping, would not lose any parking spots. Under this option, there would be a net loss of approximately 40 parking spaces on the LIRR’s lot on the Haven Avenue side of the station. 

Option B: Extension of Track 1 and Creation of Track O: 
Under this option, the LIRR would confine the new track to its own property, but would have to reclaim its own land it currently leases to the Town for commuter parking along Haven Avenue at a loss of approximately 140 parking spaces.