Track plan leads to LIRR info center

Concerns from residents about the expansion of an existing pocket track as part of a proposed bridge replacement has led to the opening of an information center on the project at the Great Neck LIRR station.

The temporary center opened Monday in the former home of a cafe. It includes diagrams, videos, artists' renderings and other information about the project, and will also be staffed by a customer service representative to answer questions.

"The purpose of this is to have an open forum to talk about the . . . project," LIRR president Helena Williams said at a ceremony to open the center. "We thought one way we could reach out is to open this center."

Although supported by several elected officials -- many of whom attended yesterday's event -- some residents of the nearby Village of Thomaston oppose the pocket track portion of the project, which they say will bring noise to their communities and lower property values.

The existing pocket track -- used to stage some trains and allow others to pull over -- would be expanded. LIRR officials say such capacity improvements are essential to the East Side Access project, which promises to connect the LIRR to Grand Central Terminal by 2016.

The project also calls for the replacement of the 114-year vehicular bridge on Colonial Road Bridge and drainage improvements.

The newly expanded pocket track would abut several dozen homes in Thomaston. Some affected homeowners attended Monday's event, holding up signs in protest.

SEE PHOTOSLIRR trains and commuters through the years

Steven Hirsh, 45, pointed out that the MTA is proposing the project at the same time that it's cutting service to some of the Long Island Bus lines that serve Great Neck station.

"I think the real question is: Is this project necessary in this day and age?" Hirsh said.

Just hours before the event, Thomaston Mayor Robert Stern said he still only had "sketchy" information about the project. But after meeting with LIRR officials at the station, he said he was reassured that the agency is "going to do the right thing by Thomaston."

The LIRR has said it plans to install sound barriers and new vegetation to minimize the impact to nearby residents.