The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has announced that Covert Avenue, between 1st Avenue and 5th Avenue, in the Village of New Hyde Park will be temporarily closed beginning Monday, April 15th, 2019,as part of the Long Island Rail Road’s Main Line Expansion Project that will make the railroad safer and more reliable.
Preliminary construction at the site began in October, as crews readied the area for the extensive work that will completely eliminate the need for cars to cross over the railroad tracks. This railroad crossing is one of seven such grade-crossing elimination projects that will be completed under the ongoing LIRR Expansion Project, also known as “Third Track,” set for completion in 2022.
Following robust consultation with the Village of New Hyde Park, the MTA is rebuilding the railroad crossing at Covert Avenue as a two-way grade separated underpass with a sidewalk on the east side. The MTA expects the crossing reconstruction to be completed in the fall. Fines can be levied against the contractor if it fails to abide by the construction completion timelines.
“This temporary road closure will enable us to reopen the safer, reconfigured roadway in just a matter of months,” said MTA Chief Development Officer Janno Lieber. “There have been seven fatal grade crossing accidents in the last 12 years on this section of the Main Line, including the tragic crash in Westbury just a couple of months ago. Eliminating this railroad crossing and six others between Floral Park and Hicksville will make the area safer for everyone and improve convenience for commuters, drivers, and pedestrians.”
“Each piece of the LIRR Expansion Project is a vital element to the success of the Long Island Rail Road, and also to the communities that our trains travel through,” said LIRR President Phil Eng. “Every measure that can help our trains operate safely and on-time, while offering relief to communities plagued by traffic congestion, is a win in our book.”
Once the grade crossing is eliminated, trains will no longer need to blast their horns, and bells from crossing gates will become unnecessary, significantly reducing noise pollution in the surrounding area. Currently, crossing gates during rush hours are in the down position nearly half the time, creating traffic backups and increasing exhaust from vehicles.
As part of an unprecedentedly robust community outreach program, MTA, LIRR, and the design-builder have held hundreds of meetings in advance of the closure. Most recently, the project team has hosted multiple public information sessions in addition to targeted stakeholder meetings with Covert Avenue residents, school districts, chambers of commerce, civic associations, and more. Businesses along the detour route will remain accessible throughout construction.
