MTA OKs $91.5 million contract to update five Metro-North stations

[Editor's note: This story was updated at 10:55 a.m. CST.]

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority's (MTA) board late last week awarded a $91.5 million design-build contract to Halmar International to improve five MTA Metro-North Railroad stations.

The scope of work includes new signage, platforms, LED lighting, benches with USB chargers, Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity, and new dashboards and totems to provide information to riders.

The MTA partnered with Grimshaw Architects to study and revise existing design guidelines for stations and facilities. The revised guidelines will bring "world-class standards" to the railroad's stations, Metro-North officials said in a press release.

The stops to be improved include the Riverdale Station in the Bronx; the Port Chester Station in Port Chester, New York; and the Harlem-125th Street Station in East Harlem. The railroad also will upgrade the Crestwood station in Tuckahoe, New York, along with a station in White Plains, New York.

Funded by MTA's 2015-2019 capital program, the projects are being carried out as part of Metro-North's Enhanced Stations Initiative.

"The Enhanced Stations Initiative raises the bar for station aesthetics, safety and amenities," said Cathy Rinaldi, Metro-North's acting president. "Customers can anticipate a better environment at our stations, and all with minimal disruption to their commute."