LIRR Mainline Third Track Project

[MACTRAXX]

MA90 and Everyone:

With the imminent completion of the NHP Road grade crossing elimination project
I expect that an opening would be publicized for the local politicians primarily to see
that the project has been completed on time. The NHP Road project map shows the
completion to be September 2020. If there is any holdup it may be for the testing and
placing into service the traffic lights at the two intersections on either side of the NHP
Road underpass grade. These new traffic lights may control road speeds on NHP Road.

I checked the latest posted dates concerning the 12th Street Crossing at NHP:
(Dates are as of July 30, 2020)
Crossing closed October 2020
Signal modification October-November 2020
Set pre-cast underpass March 2021 (requires a one weekend track outage TBD)
Stairs/ramps March-April 2021
Handrails/guiderails April 2021

As many of us know 3TC has been very good about updating their work schedules.
Checking out the various projects and their completion timelines is informative.
MACTRAXX

[LB]

Do you think they'll install a pedestrian only crossing in the interim once 12th Street is closed to traffic, or is the only way across the tracks in the vicinity of the temporary station Covert Avenue?

[LB]

GOV Cuomo cut the ribbon opening New Hyde Park Rd yesterday.

[MattAmity90]

GOV Cuomo cut the ribbon opening New Hyde Park Rd yesterday.

Indeed guys, Governor Cuomo, LIRR President Phillip Eng, and whoever Janno Lieber is cut the ribbon to reopen the road. It was closed from February 3rd, 2020 until August 24th, 2020. They said it was built on budget and two months ahead of time (although they could be mixing that up with School Street). Although it was completed on time in the case of reopening the road, but they say the project context wise is slated for Fall 2020.

Aerial view credit: Cuomo Flickr.
50263704281_9b3edb62b4_c.jpg (163.41 KiB) Viewed 1660 times

7/13/1973: Mail truck struck at NHP Road.
Old-NHPR.jpg (72.31 KiB) Viewed 1660 times

This gives me an idea: If the box-jack method came about 25 years earlier in the early-1990's, do you think they could have done the same with Herricks Road? Close the road, build the span, push it in, and reopen.

[tahawus84]

Looks like they started laying the third track at Merillon Ave. station

[Head-end View]

Strangely, I saw nothing on News12 last night or today about the re-opening of N.H.P. Rd. You'd think such an important development on a major public works project would be newsworthy for the primary Long Island TV news station, but apparently not.

[MACTRAXX]

Strangely, I saw nothing on News12 last night or today about the re-opening of N.H.P. Rd. You'd think such an important development on a major public works project would be newsworthy for the primary Long Island TV news station, but apparently not.

H-E View: I looked for any mention myself on the opening of the
NHP Road underpass on News 12 Long Island or elsewhere. One would
think that an important improvement such as this would be newsworthy.

MA90: Janno Lieber is the head of MTA Capital Construction which along
with 3TC is in charge of the LIRR Third Track construction project.
MACTRAXX

[Head-end View]

I drove thru the N.H.P. Rd. underpass today in both directions. It looks very good. I also was lucky enough to watch a tractor-trailer go thru northbound with head-room to spare. Interesting that Clinch Ave. is now a T-intersection with NHP Rd. just south of the bridge.

[newkirk]

School St. Westbury today (8-30-20).

Photo: Bill Mangahas

[MattAmity90]

Now in the blueprints, this elimination will not see a pedestrian walkway as far as I know. Looking at the left side of the photo I can't tell if they are going to add one or not. The box bridge/tunnel will be pushed into place on the weekend of September 12th-13th, with School Street scheduled to be reopened to traffic in November (as usual, because after the box-jacking it takes two months to ready the road for traffic.

Urban Avenue: Box-Jacked in July 20th-21st, 2019, reopened September 5th, 2019.
Covert Avenue: Box-Jacked in August 24th-25th, 2019, reopened October 17th, 2019.
New Hyde Park Road: Box-Jacked in July 11th-12th, 2020, reopened August 24th, 2020.
School Street: Scheduled to be Box-Jacked in September 12th-13th, 2020, scheduled to be reopened in November TBD, 2020.

Even though they are installing the third track by hand at Merillon Avenue, I'm sure the NTC will be used as soon as Westbury and Mineola start seeing construction continuing or about to begin.

[Tinyplaces]

When the third track is complete at Merillon Avenue, they might end up moving the temporary platform and put it on top of the new track and open the new platform A. I saw a video of NHP and saw what looked like new rail (no ties) being laid down next to the new platform B so maybe NHP would be next followed by Carle Place since the platforms are expected to be completed by fall/winter. I'm only speculating and since I don't live on LI anymore, I can't see the construction in person to verify.

Update to post: As soon as I made this post a new video popped up on my YT showing a temporary platform being constructed at Merillon Avenue on top of the new track.

[tahawus84]

Looks like they are indeed installing a temporary platform over the new track at Merllion Ave.

[Frank]

School St. Westbury today (8-30-20).

Photo: Bill Mangahas

It's about time especially because of that accident last year!

[MACTRAXX]

Everyone:

The LIRR has posted that there will be SIX Main Line weekend track work shutdowns
for various projects between Hicksville and Floral Park for the Third Track Project:

September 12-13; 19-20; 26-27; October 10-11; 17-18; 24-25

http://web.mta.info/supplemental/lirr/s ... ber-25.htm

Alternate service will be the same offered as in previous weekend programs:
Port Jefferson and Ronkonkoma trains originate/terminate at Hicksville
Shuttle trains operate Hicksville-Bethpage-Babylon
Babylon and Montauk Branch will have enhanced services
Oyster Bay Branch operates East Williston-Oyster Bay only
Hempstead Branch trains will run half hourly

Plan ahead...Happy Labor Day Holiday weekend to all!!!
MACTRAXX

[newkirk]

tahawus84 wrote: Looks like they are indeed installing a temporary platform over the new track at Merllion Ave.

Merillon Ave today (Sept 6,2020)
Photo: Bill Mangahas