More parking spaces among slate of upgrades coming to LIRR station south lot in Huntington

There’s good and bad news for motorists who park in the south parking lot at the LIRR station in Huntington.

Good news: The 224-space lot will expand to 253 spaces with renovations that begin Sept. 13.

Bad news: Construction will require the lot, south of the train tracks and adjacent to the south garage, be closed to vehicular and pedestrian traffic for up to three months, town officials said in a news release.

Access between the south platform of the Long Island Rail Road station and the parking lot will also be closed.

"This complete overhaul of the south parking lot will add parking and public safety enhancements for our commuters," said Town Supervisor Chad Lupinacci. "These enhancements are among many improvements coming to our commuter parking facilities at the LIRR Huntington Train Station, taking place concurrently with the MTA LIRR’s project to replace the East Pedestrian Bridge."

The project will add 29 parking spots, an ADA-accessible sidewalk on the east side of Fairground Avenue, drainage improvements, lighting improvements, resurfacing with new asphalt paving, two-way traffic flow down each aisle, new plantings around the lot and reconstruction of the southern retaining wall, town officials said.

Access to the south platform from the south parking garage will remain open. Vehicles must access the south parking garage by the southern entrance from Second Street, and the eastern entrance from Lenox Road. There will be no access to the garage from Fairground Avenue.

In February, funding for the construction of improvements to the town-owned north parking garage and west pedestrian bridge was approved by the town board. Huntington’s Department of Engineering Services is expected to issue a request for proposal in about a month, town officials said.

The MTA began work Aug. 30 on the east pedestrian bridge. During construction, commuters should board and exit all trains from the first six cars and note changes to parking availability and parking garage access points, town officials advised.

Construction is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2022.