LIRR Elmont Station

Elmont Station -- the first new Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) Station in almost 50 years -- was designed and constructed during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The project, which was delivered in two phases, was a bright spot during an otherwise bleak and unpredictable time. Not only did the project catalyze economic activity in the region but it kept many workers employed during a period of much uncertainty. Despite supply chain issues and shipping delays, the beautiful, modern station was delivered on schedule and budget. It satisfies the need for full-time train service to support the new Belmont Park Redevelopment, inclusive of the new UBS Arena, and 24/7 commuter rail service for the residents of Elmont and the surrounding communities.

The design-build contractor, Judlau Contracting, Inc., a subsidiary of OHLA USA, and lead designer, STV Inc., worked with the client, MTA Construction and Development, to ensure that the fast-tracked project provided the public with a highly functional and fully ADA-compliant train station complete with modern amenities, including digital information screens, charging stations, LED lighting, Wi-Fi, and elevator service to link the eastbound and westbound platforms.

Located on the northern edge of the Belmont Park redevelopment site, the 19,000-sq.ft., three-level station features two 1,020-foot-long passenger platforms that accommodate up to 12 train cars. The three levels consist of a grade-level entrance, a platform level, and a 20-foot-wide pedestrian overpass bridge that crosses over four tracks to link the eastbound and westbound platforms.

The team successfully met two critical milestones. The Phase I milestone called for the delivery of an eight-car eastbound platform operational for the opening of UBS Arena – the NY Islanders’ new home – in November 2021. The milestone for Phase II provided the client with a fully functioning station, including both 12-car platforms and elevators for the opening of the 2022-2023 NHL season.

Aside from the complexities of constructing a new station around active LIRR operations -- following a fast-tracked schedule, several challenges were presented and overcome by the project team.

To ensure a successful outcome, Judlau's management created a strong partnering relationship with team representatives from MTA C&D, STV, and major subcontractors who met weekly and communicated daily to keep the project moving forward.

The major challenge for meeting the Phase I delivery date was creating a solution for the placement of steel girders that were required to support the new station platforms above the heavily trafficked CIP. The team spent weeks carefully crafting a plan for the installation of seven pairs of massive steel girders – with a total weight of a half-million pounds. The presence of overhead wires on the south side of the tracks posed a problem. The team devised the solution to use a self-propelled modular transporter (SPMT), which would allow for the placement of beams underneath the wires. Cranes set the girders on the SPMT which then traveled to the appropriate launching location where they were raised into position. Installation of beams on the north side of the tracks was performed using a crane, a more routine approach. The entire operation to install the seven pairs of beams -- which were spliced together to create the full span along with a temporary center pier -- was performed with minimal disruption to CIP travelers over a brief and meticulously planned outage during weekend hours that required extensive coordination with NYCDOT and other state and local agencies.

Also challenging was the installation of the 175,000-pound, 20-foot-wide elevated pedestrian bridge structure (constructed onsite) 25 feet above live tracks to connect the east and westbound platforms. A Demag lattice boom crawler crane was rigged with a spreader beam to lift the bridge into position early on a Saturday morning in a short window between regularly scheduled trains. In the weeks leading up to the lift, the preparation of the rigging assembly was extremely challenging because the work had to be performed following an exact schedule to prevent compromising LIRR’s timetable.

The project team developed a highly functional, innovative design that together with the use of the design-build project method safely delivered the construction scope working around LIRR’s train operations.

The station’s cast-in-place pier foundations were constructed with a single concrete pour, which saved considerable time. Also, to increase efficiency, the project team used precast slabs – embedded with a state-of-the-art snow melt system – for the concrete passenger platforms. Upon delivery, the slabs were carefully lifted and placed into position atop the foundations.

To protect passengers from inclement weather, MTA C&D specified a canopy for the entire length of the passenger platforms, which measure over 1,000 linear feet and are each long enough to accommodate 12 LIRR cars. Due to its ease of assembly, the project team selected a canopy system manufactured by Poitras Industries, which created a customized system for the station. The partially assembled canopy system consisting of a kit of parts, including steel canopy arms, brick knee walls, back wall glass, and a polycarbonate canopy roof for 130 shelters was assembled expeditiously on-site.

The new Elmont Station provides many regional and local benefits. Not only does it provide full-time commuter service to and from Elmont and Penn Station as well as to Grand Central Madison but it delivers amenities and conveniences that give customers the ability to enjoy New York Islanders games, concerts, horseraces, and other events. The station will also incentivize the public to return to mass transit, an important goal of the MTA.

The additional service benefits Long Islanders who live east of Belmont on the Hempstead, Oyster Bay, Port Jefferson, and Ronkonkoma Branches since passengers have a one-seat ride straight to events. This will reduce travel times and is expected to increase the number of event attendees who use public transportation, helping alleviate traffic congestion on Long Island.