Port Washington LIRR pedestrian bridge to be extended

The MTA will build a temporary extension to an existing pedestrian bridge at the Port Washington Long Island Rail Road station next month, beginning Oct. 16 and lasting four days, officials said Tuesday.

One of the station's two pedestrian bridges was closed in April after the agency determined that parts of the concrete structure had "deteriorated beyond repair," officials said in a news release.

The extension project is not expected to affect train service, officials said. It is expected to be finished by Oct. 19, and will restore access for pedestrians on the Haven Avenue side of the station.

The Haven Avenue parking lot will be closed Oct. 18 and 19, "to accommodate the large construction equipment needed to do the job," officials wrote in the news release.

LIRR president Patrick A. Nowakowski said in the release "this temporary extension addresses customer concerns about access between the parking lot and the platform for the foreseeable future."

The closure had ignited the ire of residents, who use the busy commuter hub. The Port Washington line is the only one that travels directly to Penn Station without stopping through Jamaica. The community has grappled with parking issues, and Town Councilwoman Dina DeGiorgio recently proposed developing a ride-sharing app for the community called PWarkit.

MTA officials said the structure is to be built of modular, prefabricated materials and because of its placement, will mean six fewer parking spots at the Haven Avenue lot. Officials said that new lighting also is to be installed in the area.

SEE PHOTOSLIRR trains and commuters through the years

Town Supervisor Judi Bosworth said the project "addresses both the safety and quality of life for our commuters."

DeGiorgio, who represents the area, said she is "pleased that the LIRR heard my community and that pedestrian access to Haven Avenue will be restored."