LIRR to replace Post Avenue bridge

MTA Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) later this month will replace its 103-year-old Post Avenue bridge in Westbury, New York.

On Oct. 21-22, crews will use cranes and an industrial-grade movable hydraulic lift to remove the existing bridge and replace it with a new one. The $9.7 million project is slated to wrap up before the first morning rush hour train arrives Oct. 23, according to a press release issued by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office.

The new bridge will be 13 feet wider than the existing structure to accommodate LIRR's planned third track. The new bridge will be higher than the current one to allow trucks to pass below without striking it.

Over the past six years, the existing bridge has been struck by trucks several times each year, leading to "extensive train delays," according to Cuomo's release.

The bridge project is being carried out under a design-build contract to expedite the work.

"By rebuilding the Post Avenue bridge and paving the way for the historic Third Track project, we are showing that it's possible to upgrade the LIRR on time, on budget, and with community input at every step of the way," Cuomo said. "While others talk about infrastructure, New York is getting it done."

LIRR's $2 billion Third Track project involves building a third track along 9.8 miles of the railroad's Main Line between Floral Park and Hicksville, New York. The project also calls for eliminating all seven street-level grade crossings within the project corridor.