“Study additional Port Track” (Cameryn Oakes — July 12) which would consider expanding the LIRR Port Washington storage yard doesn’t solve the fundamental problem of insufficient equipment to increase the number of bidirectional rush hour trains.  Adding passing sidings or double tracking is the only solution for improved bi directional service between Port Washington and Great Neck. This is actually more important than expansion of the Port Washington LIRR Yard. Even with expansion of the Port Washington LIRR Yard, at some point you run out of trains to run west bound in the AM peak. It would also not solve the problem of bi directional service gaps for reverse peak services between Great Neck and Port Washington to and from both Penn Station and Grand Central Madison. Double tracking between Great Neck and Port Washington would go a long way in support the MTA’s promised 40% increase in reverse rush hour service as well.

Why not build a second Manhasset viaduct over East Shore Road and double track up to just west of the Manhasset Station? How about continuing double tracking or adding passing sidings starting at the Manhasset Station and continue east to the Port Washington station?

As a long time Great Neck resident and rider going back to the 1970’s, I can tell you first hand that this issue has been ignored for decades by generations of past MTA Chairman and LIRR Presidents.

In less than four months, the next MTA 2025 – 2029 Five Year Capital Plan is due to be released in October 2024 and approved on or before January 1, 2025 Lets see if State Assemblywoman Gina Sillitti along with all our other local elected officials are successful in convincing MTA Chairman Janno Lieber and LIRR President Richard Free to include some of these additional capital improvements for the Port Washington branch between Great Neck and Port Washington. Commuters and taxpayers will be interested in seeing substantial, not cosmetic service improvements.

Sincerely,

Larry Penner

Great Neck