Floral Park Trustee Archie Cheng said Tuesday that there is “light at the end of the tunnel” at the Linden Avenue tunnel, which has been closed since labor day for construction on the LIRR’s third track project.
During his usual LIRR report at a village meeting on Tuesday, Cheng said he could not provide an extensive update because the village meets with project developers 3rd Track Constructors on the fourth Thursday of every month.
As the fourth Thursday of November was Thanksgiving the parties did not meet, but are scheduled to meet Dec. 12 instead, Cheng said.
Despite this, Cheng said, he could report that work is continuing on the tunnel is making progress forward as he noted he can now see through the tunnel.
“With the expansion of the Linden Avenue tunnel, you can now see through the tunnel. There is light at the end of the tunnel,” Cheng said. “When I drove down 12th Street I saw light coming down the tunnel.”
The tunnel had previously been enclosed, Cheng said.
Cheng reported at a Sept. 3 village meeting that the Linden Avenue tunnel, which provides access to the recreation center off Charles Street, will be closed for approximately six months as part of the next phase of the LIRR third track construction project.
He estimated that the tunnel will be closed until late March. The reason work started around Labor Day was to avoid pool season at the recreation center, Cheng said.
The MTA said in a release last week that construction on the underpass is underway and expected it to be completed in March 2020
Crews will utilize the western-most ballfield near tunnel (known as “the pit”) and the village’s Department of Public Works yard for staging and accessing the LIRR right-of-way, The MTA said.
According to the LIRR, the Linden Avenue pedestrian underpass will be demolished and rebuilt.
Construction crews will install tiebacks and soldier piles, which are installed by vibratory hammers to provide the support necessary for the reconstruction of the underpass. Sections of soldier piles will be installed in sequence to form a wall for earth support.
The Floral Park Recreation Center still remains accessible through other egress points, the LIRR said.
The LIRR Expansion Project will add a third track on the Main Line from Floral Park to Hicksville and is being carried out by 3rd Track Constructors. The project began in January 2018 and is to be completed by late 2022.
Its development areas include Carle Place, Floral Park, Garden City, Garden City Park, Hicksville, Mineola, New Cassel, New Hyde Park, and Westbury.
