Huntington Station – The Town of Huntington will begin reconstruction work on the South Parking Lot at LIRR Huntington Train Station Monday, September 13.
“This complete overhaul of the South Parking Lot will add parking and public safety enhancements for our commuters,” said Supervisor Chad A. Lupinacci. “These enhancements are among many improvements coming to our commuter parking facilities at the LIRR Huntington Train Station, taking place concurrently with the MTA LIRR’s project to replace the East Pedestrian Bridge.”
Parking volume at Huntington Train Station hasn't returned to pre-COVID levels. Currently, parking at the entire LIRR Huntington Train Station lot complex reaches approximately 25% capacity, according to the Town's Parking Enforcement Team; Lot 15 (the metered lot) reaches 50%+ capacity but all the commuter permit lots/garages have much lower parking volume at this time, allowing for the use of alternate parking spaces during construction.
The Town’s South Parking Lot project will add 29 new parking spots, bringing the current 224-space lot to 253 spaces, a new accessible sidewalk on east side of Fairground Avenue, drainage improvements, lighting improvements, resurfacing with new asphalt paving, two-way traffic flow down each aisle, new plantings around the lot and reconstruction of the southern retaining wall.
The South Parking Lot, south of the train tracks and adjacent to the south garage, will be closed to both vehicular and pedestrian traffic for approximately 2-3 months, as will access between the south platform of the train station and the parking lot. Access to the south platform from the South Parking Garage will remain open. Vehicles must access the South Parking Garage via the southern entrance from Second Street and the eastern entrance from Lenox Road; there will be no access to the garage from Fairground Avenue.
Funding for the South Parking Lot renovation was comprised of approximately $431,000 in Townwide Parking Lot repair funds from the Department of General Services, an additional $175,000 in funding approved by the Town Board in February 2021 and $140,000 in additional funding approved by the Town Board in June 2021.
The Town also approved funding in February 2021 for the construction of improvements to the North Parking Garage and West Pedestrian Bridge (owned by the Town), for which the Department of Engineering Services is expected to issue an RFP within approximately one month.
On Monday, August 30, the MTA LIRR began work on the East Pedestrian Bridge (owned by the MTA LIRR, not the Town) at the LIRR Huntington Train Station. During the construction process, which is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2022 per the MTA LIRR, commuters should board and exit all trains from the first six (6) cars and note changes to parking availability and parking garage access points.
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