Crews complete latest phase of LIRR double track project

Gov. Andrew Cuomo was on hand Monday as crews completed the latest phase of the Long Island Rail Road's double track project. As News 12 has reported, a second track is being installed along the main

News 12 Staff

Aug 23, 2016, 2:08 AM

Updated 2,975 days ago

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Gov. Andrew Cuomo was on hand Monday as crews completed the latest phase of the Long Island Rail Road's double track project.
As News 12 has reported, a second track is being installed along the main line between Farmingdale and Ronkonkoma.
The goal of the $387 million project is to make the commute for riders faster and more reliable, with off-peak service also increased.
Gov. Cuomo and MTA officials say ridership on the Ronkonkoma branch has doubled over the past 25 years, and the second track between Ronkonkoma and Farmingdale will help to reduce crowding.
Ronkonkoma resident Mike Balestrieri says the plan is coming at a high price for him and his neighbors. He says the construction work near his home on Sycamore Street is causing cracks to his ceiling and bathroom.
Balestrieri also worries about children playing near the tracks when a nearby gate is left open.
He says the railroad wants him to provide an engineer's report to prove the damage was caused by Long Island Railroad trucks. Balestrieri says that's money he shouldn't have to spend.
A spokesman for the LIRR says every effort has been made to make the construction phase easy and safe for residents.
The project is scheduled to be completed by the fall of 2018.