The new Grand Central Madison terminal for the Long Island Rail Road will still open by the end of 2022, the MTA promised Tuesday, with just a month before the new year and testing still underway.
— and the 3.5 miles of new tunnels under the East River and Midtown Manhattan connecting the LIRR to the east side of Manhattan — has been essentially complete for months, with everything from directional signage to fire alarms installed and ready to go.
But extensive testing is still underway to ensure that all systems at the new concourse — which will bring LIRR trains to Grand Central Terminal and increase weekday service by 40% on the commuter railroad — are fully functional and safe for the tens of thousands of riders expected to pass through every day, leaving the official opening date up in the air.
But the MTA is still in the midst of testing the station’s emergency air flow systems, and the terminal is still in need of formal approval from the Fire Marshal, said MTA Construction & Development president Jamie Torres-Springer at the MTA board’s commuter railroad committee on Tuesday. MTA Construction & Development head Jamie Torres-Springer says Grand Central Madison will be open by the end of the year, even as testing remains underway.“Given the complexity of the testing I’ve described and our commitment to keeping passengers safe, we don’t have an exact date to provide yet, but we are confident about opening service this year,” said Torres-Springer.
allowing passenger service to commence before the full installation of tech preventing overly-bulky Amtrak trains from entering the tunnel to Grand Central Madison. The waiver will allow the station to open without the full installation of “positive train control,” with the feds granting a temporary reprieve until Feb. 15, 2023 while requiring extensive further training and testing for LIRR and Amtrak train crews.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Feds grant MTA waiver for train safety at Grand Central MadisonThe MTA needed the waiver to open the long-stalled station before the end of the year.
Read more »
When Is Grand Central Madison Expected to Open? What to Know About NYC's New LIRR StopFor those who have been waiting (and waiting and waiting…) for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s long-anticipated new station on the east side of midtown Manhattan, the wait is nearly over.
Read more »
MTA may need to raise fares 29% to regain pre-COVID revenues: DiNapoliGov. Kathy Hochul and the MTA would have to increase the cost of a subway or bus trip by 79-cents to recoup pre-pandemic revenue levels, State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli warned Tuesday. With ridershi…
Read more »
NYC subway crime in spotlight again at MTA committee meeting in Lower ManhattanThe agency is expected to release data showing subway crime is down compared to last month. But violent, frightening incidents continue.
Read more »
MTA may need massive 30% fare hikes to avoid ‘fiscal cliff’, Comptroller DiNapoli warns | amNewYorkThe MTA would need to raise its fares by nearly 30% to avoid a looming 'fiscal cliff' and return to a pre-pandemic financial equilibrium, State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli charged in a new report.
Read more »
MTA to spend more than $1B on accessibility upgradesThe spending is the latest effort by transit officials to make New York's transit networks accessible to riders with disabilities.
Read more »