Sources: LIRR peak fare proposal grounded

Commuters headed east in the morning, west at night or working later in the day than most probably won't have to worry about increased peak Long Island Rail Road fares, transit sources said Tuesday.

Although Metropolitan Transportation Authority officials considered the idea of extending peak travel hours and also charging peak fares for reverse commuters, MTA sources said Tuesday neither idea will make it to the MTA's formal fare hike proposal being released next week.

"There's clearly a reluctance to do it that way," said MTA board member Mitchell Pally, of Stony Brook.

"I think, from the conversations, they would prefer to find other ways to do it than to make those types of changes."

Nevertheless, the MTA is expected to raise fares around 7.5 percent throughout its various transit agencies. On the LIRR, that will likely mean increased ticket prices and reductions in discounts for off-peak, monthly and other special tickets.

Riders will have the opportunity to sound off on the fare hike proposals at a series of public hearings later this year, after which the MTA board will vote on them. The fare hikes will take effect in January, the MTA said.

Maureen Michaels, chairwoman of the Long Island Rail Road Commuter Council, said that rather than rush to a fare hike, the LIRR should take its time and consider options other than the fare structure it has followed for decades, which is based on distance and time of travel.

"I would encourage them not to make any rash decisions on it, and really do a careful study," Michaels said.