Work to make the Flushing-Main Street Long Island Railroad (LIRR) station accessible for all has begun.
Construction was initiated on the station’s new westbound elevator in August, according to Congresswoman Grace Meng, and on the new eastbound elevator the week of Sept. 11. The elevators, which would make the station Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant, is a component of phase two of the LIRR’s $24.6 million planned overhaul for the downtown Flushing station.
The massive renovation project was first announced in 2012 and faced some hiccups, including an eminent domain battle with the nearby Ou-Juang Supermarket. New signage and platform railings, part of phase one construction, were unveiled in March 2016.
Other improvements still to come include a new ticket office in the station’s westbound plaza, platform shelters and extensions, stairs and electrical/communication lines.
Completion of the station overhaul is set for early 2018.
“Plans to rehabilitate the Flushing-Main Street LIRR station have been in the works for many years and it’s something for which I’ve long advocated,” Meng said. “I am thrilled that construction is finally underway and that swift progress is being made. I thank the LIRR for its continued commitment to the renovation of the Flushing-Main Street station and I look forward the project’s completion.”
