LIRR disruptions this weekend due to construction on Ellison Avenue Bridge

MINEOLA (WABC) -- Construction work near Long Island Rail Road tracks will cause major rail service disruptions this weekend.

An estimated 40,000 customers face significant delays over the weekend when the railroad suspends train service between Hicksville and Mineola during demolition of the Ellison Avenue Bridge in Westbury. Hockey fans planning to take the train to Madison Square Garden for the New York Rangers' Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against Tampa Bay at 1 p.m. on Saturday will need to plan their travels with this service disruption in mind.

The 48-hour service outage affects all LIRR branches but will primarily affect the Ronkonkoma and Port Jefferson Branches, where customers are facing 40 to 60 minutes of extra travel time because their regular route to and from New York City takes them right through the demolition zone in Westbury. However, all branches will be affected with revised departure and arrival times for weekend trains. Special weekend timetables will be in effect on all branches.

As an alternative, Ronkonkoma and Port Jefferson Branch customers are urged to use other LIRR branches if possible, including the Babylon, Far Rockaway, Hempstead, Long Beach, Montauk, Port Washington, Oyster Bay or West Hempstead Branches. Those branches will experience minor only scheduled adjustments.

"We regret the inconvenience, but for obvious safety reasons, demolition of the bridge requires a complete suspension of train service between Hicksville and Mineola," LIRR President Patrick A. Nowakowski said. "We are working hard to minimize the impact by providing bus service and re-routing trains. Everyone should consult the special May 16-17 weekend branch timetables to pinpoint the departure and arrival times of their trains and allow for plenty of extra travel time."

The LIRR is replacing the obsolete bridge as part of a $17.5 million project to improve safety for railroad customers as well as the thousands of motorists and pedestrians who use the 74-year-old span each day. The project includes replacement of the bridge, a new roadway, sidewalks, curbs, fencing and paving and is being financed by the MTA Capital Program. The new bridge is scheduled to open by April 2016 and all construction activities, including site restoration, will be completed by June 2016.

Local elected officials and community leaders have lobbied for years for the bridge's replacement, citing the ever-worsening condition of the roadway.

Summary of Changes for Weekend of Saturday and Sunday, May 16-17

Ronkonkoma Branch

Midnight - 7 AM

Buses replace trains between Hicksville and Mineola.

7 AM - Midnight

Bethpage customers will be bused between Mineola and Hicksville. Ronkonkoma through Farmingdale customers will travel to/from Penn Station by train without transfers, as trains will be diverted via the Central & Babylon Branches.

Huntington/Port Jefferson Branch

Buses replace trains between Hicksville and Mineola for the entire weekend. Trains between Huntington and Port Jefferson will operate every two hours instead of the usual 90-minute intervals. Service between Huntington and Penn Station will operate hourly instead of the usual 30-minute intervals. Carle Place and Westbury will be served by buses only.

Traffic Detours

The Ellison Avenue Bridge, long the bane of motorists and truck drivers because of its badly deteriorated roadway, was closed to vehicular traffic on April 14. Since then, the LIRR and its contractors have been preparing for the demolition. During the year-long closure, only local traffic will be allowed on Ellison Ave. All other vehicles will be detoured to Post Ave. and Cherry Lane in Westbury. For the grade crossing improvement work, vehicular traffic will be diverted from School St. to Urban Ave. and Post Ave. for the entire weekend.

Attention New York Mets Fans Heading to CitiField

To avoid busing and delays to Mets home games on May 16 & 17, take south shore branches or the Port Washington Branch. At Woodside, eastbound customers must board trains in the first two cars all weekend. Ronkonkoma trains will not stop at Woodside all that weekend.

Parking at Hicksville Station

The Town of Oyster Bay parking lot on the north side of Hicksville Station will be closed on Saturday, May 16 and Sunday, May 17 to accommodate MTA shuttle buses transporting customers between Hicksville and Mineola. Parking will be available in the Town of Oyster Bay parking garage just east of Hicksville Station.

School St. Grade Crossing & Other Work in the Vicinity

In addition, the LIRR will take advantage of the 48-hour train service suspension by performing other critical work in the vicinity during the outage. This additional work will include switch improvements in Hicksville, rail welding g and drainage work between Carle Place and Hicksville and replacement of the School St. grade crossing in Westbury. To accommodate the grade crossing improvement work, vehicular traffic will be diverted from School St. to Urban Ave. and Post Ave. for the entire weekend.

TIPS:

-- The Port Jefferson train will stop at Hicksville, and then passengers can take a bus to Mineola and get on a train from there. The trip will take an extra 45 minutes to an hour to Penn Station.

-- Ronkonkoma branch trains will take an alternate route around Bethpage. The train then goes south to the Babylon track. The trip will take an extra 45 minutes to Penn Station.

More scheduling information: LIRR schedules