The wheels of the LIRR might soon be making a stop once again in Elmhurst — or at least in the next five years.
In the MTA’s 2015-2019 $32 billion Capital Program, released earlier this week, $40 million is being set aside to construct a new Long Island Rail Road station on the Port Washington Branch.
“A new Elmhurst station will provide commuter railroad service to this vibrant community,” the MTA said in the five-year plan said.
The proposed station elements include two new 12-car platforms, staircases, platform railings, platform shelters, ticket vending machines, lighting, communication and security systems, and site improvements, according to the capital plan.
There will also be elevator service at the Elmhurst station, which will be part of the Port Washington line.
In 2012, Councilman Daniel Dromm and US Rep. Joseph Crowley called on the Long Island Rail Road to reopen the station, which was located on Broadway between Cornish and Whitney avenues and was closed in 1985 due to low ridership, to meet the needs of the neighborhood’s growing population.
Last year, LIRR officials conducted a month-long survey to see if it made sense to bring the station back to the community,
Dromm said that although he finds this plan as a positive development, he still views it as just a proposal.
“Seeing the line item of $40 million for the LIRR Elmhurst stop in the MTA’s capital budget is a longtime coming and much welcomed development,” Dromm said. “However, this capital budget should be seen as a wish list. These projects are not currently fully funded nor approved by the state. I will continue to advocate for this stop, which would cut down commutes and help Elmhurst residents get to where they need to go with greater speed. I hope the MTA will turn this wish from the community into a reality.”
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