L.K. Comstock & Company Inc. has been awarded a $66.5 million contract with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to add a second track on the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) over 13 miles between Ronkonkoma and Farmingdale, New York. L.K. Comstock is responsible for the track and systems installation for the new second track on the Main Line Ronkonkoma Branch.
Work on the project starts in June 2017 and extends 19 months with a targeted completion date by the end of 2018. The double-track project will improve service and reliability on the LIRR’s Ronkonkoma Branch, which has doubled in ridership over the last 25 years, and will improve service to Long Island MacArthur Airport.
L.K. Comstock will perform electrical work, including installing new utility poles, signal, communication & fiber cable, and signal equipment, as well as test and commission all of the systems. RailWorks Transit will perform all related track and civil work, including installing 13 miles of track for the new second track.
In addition to the main line work, the project includes designing and constructing the Wyandanch and Pinelawn stations. This work involves demolishing the old platforms and installing new ones and constructing a new pedestrian walkway and elevators at Wyandanch Station that are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
"Many of our employees commute on this line to reach our offices,” said Ben D’Alessandro, president of L.K. Comstock and RailWorks Transit. “We understand firsthand the benefits this double-track project will deliver. Our team is excited to put our integrated capabilities into action to improve service and reliability on this busy rail corridor on Long Island.”