The first section of the Long Island Rail Road’s Third Track expansion started service during this morning’s rush hour commute.

The landmark unveiling is a milestone for the project that began in 2018.

It is something that Peter Haynes, president of the LIRR Commuter Campaign, says he’s glad to see it finished.

Haynes says the third track allows the LIRR to run more trains and recover from delays during the rush hour commute.

Since the pandemic, ridership has been down, but commuter advocates say people will eventually come back to the office more, and benefits will be seen down the road.

However, the third track, which is a nearly 10-mile stretch that starts in Floral Park and ends in Hicksville, has not come without controversy.

The second section of the track, which goes from Garden City to Carle Place, will open on Aug. 29.

All other portions of the new rail will be put into service in the next few months.

As we open the new third track between Floral Park and Hicksville, the tracks at Floral Park and Bellerose have new numbers.

At Bellerose, the former Track 1 is now known as Track 2, and the former Track 2 is now known as Track 4.

At Floral Park, Track H1 is now known as Track 2, and Track H2 is now known as Track 4. Tracks M3 and M1 are now known as Tracks 3 and 1.

Please listen for announcements or consult the TrainTime app for track assignments, as some trains will now depart from different tracks.