LIRR station parking lot to get $747G upgrade later this summer

The Huntington Station Long Island Rail Road southeast parking lot will get an upgrade later this summer.

Town officials have approved a total of $746,722 from capital and operating budgets to do such things as add about 20 parking stalls; provide two-way vehicular circulation, new pavement markings; additional lighting; resurface the entire lot; remove broken curbs, install underground electrical conduits for new electric vehicle recharge stations; and replace dilapidated drainage structures.

"As more people slowly return to the commuter lifestyle, these upgrades will certainly prove to be essential and timely," Town Supervisor Chad A. Lupinacci said.

Town officials are awaiting additional information, including a formal cost proposal, purchase order and performance bonds from the project’s contractor, LandTek. Huntington officials and the contractor will then discuss a project schedule with a target of beginning in the next few weeks, town officials said.

Meanwhile a $1,675,000 improvement project at the same station for the north parking garage and west pedestrian bridge, which connects the north and south parking garages, is being delayed. The work, which includes concrete repairs, stair tread nosing replacement, and waterproofing, was to begin in September.

But an inspection report from an outside engineering company revealed some of the items to be addressed were outside the expertise of the town’s in-house engineering staff.

Town officials will now hire an outside engineering design consultant who specializes in garages to develop the design documents that will be put out for bid.

Town officials said the request for proposal was expected to be issued in August.

Once a design consultant is selected, design work is likely to begin in October. The design phase should take three to four months, after which the town will solicit bids for the construction contract in the spring of 2022.