MTA releases LIRR plan for Penn Station summer repairs

<p>Service changes begin July 8 to accommodate the extensive track work at Penn Station.</p>

News 12 Staff

Jun 12, 2017, 1:02 PM

Updated 2,681 days ago

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The MTA released plans today for this summer's upcoming service disruptions for Long Island Rail Road commuters.
Service changes begin July 8 to accommodate the extensive track work at Penn Station.
The MTA says about 20 percent of its trains will be canceled, combined or diverted to other stations like Jamaica, Hunters Point or Atlantic Terminal.
The LIRR is going to add some park and ride bus options from multiple places on Long Island that will pick people up and take them directly into the city.
A ferry service will also be added, and will leave from Glen Cove and go the 34th Street as another option. There have also been discussions about a South Shore option, which has not been announced yet.
Commuter watchdogs say that even though the grand plan is to relieve traffic in and out of Penn Station during the Amtrak repairs, the Amtrak repairs don't answer the question of what needs to be done to fix the problem that plagues Long Island commuters on almost a daily basis.
The MTA says there will be no temporary fare reduction for LIRR riders as commuters from New Jersey are seeing on New Jersey Transit.
It did stress that Long Island commuters will not have to pay for the extra grand plan, but it didn't say how it was going to achieve that.