LIRR to install two new bridges in East Hampton

    Oct. 15, 2019
    Buses will substitute for all train services east of Southampton between Oct. 15 and Nov. 10.
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    The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) will start the final stage of work to replace two bridges in East Hampton at North Main Street and Accabonac Road to improve safety and reduce the possibility of bridge strikes with oversized vehicles improperly crossing the roadways.  

    The Accabonac Road and North Main Street Bridges, located in the village of East Hampton along the Montauk Branch, were constructed in 1895. The two bridges are separated by about 500 feet. The North Main Street Bridge is the westernmost bridge and currently has a posted clearance of 10 feet. The Accabonac Road Bridge, the easternmost bridge, has a posted clearance of 9 feet 9 inches. These low-hanging bridges have been the site of many accidents over the years caused by trucks striking the bridges, according to LIRR. 

    In 2015, there were nine incidents in which vehicles struck the overpasses, reiterating the need to improve safety and reliability for both vehicles and LIRR passengers by replacing these low-hanging bridges. The LIRR will raise the vertical roadway clearance of these bridges with the installation of new single span steel bridge structures. The new height clearance will allow trucks to safely pass underneath the bridges. 

    This effort is part of the broader LIRR Modernization Program, with 100 projects across the railroad, to improve the overall LIRR system efficiently and reliably. For more information on LIRR’s capital projects, visit amodernli.com 

    As a result of the work, buses will substitute for all train service east of Southampton, which includes Bridgehampton, East Hampton, Amagansett and Montauk, on a 24/7 basis between Oct. 15 and Nov. 10. Additional maintenance work will be performed on the weekend of Oct. 26-27. During this weekend, the busing program will be extended from Hampton Bays through Montauk. 

    Customers should expect additional travel time and earlier westbound departures to allow connections with train service at Southampton. In addition, North Main Street and Accabonac Road have been alternately closed with road detours that began Oct. 2.   

    Road closures during the final phase of the North Main Street and Acccabonac Road Bridge Replacement Project are as follows: 

    • Oct. 11:  North Main Street reopened 

    • Oct.11– Oct. 28: Accabonac Road Closure - Detour onto Collins Avenue and Route 27 to reach North Main Street  

    • Oct. 27 – Nov. 10: North Main Street Road Closure -Detour onto Collins Avenue and Route 27 to reach Accabonac Road 

    Please note that road closures may be extended due to weather conditions and other work-related circumstances. While the work is in progress, MTA and East Hampton Police will assist with road closure and traffic detours.