The second section of the Long Island Rail Road’s Third Track opened up Aug. 30.

The 2.5-mile stretch between the Mineola and Merillon Avenue stations is now in service a few weeks after Gov. Kathy Hochul and MTA officials celebrated the opening of the first stretch of the LIRR between the Floral Park and Merillon Avenue stations. 

When fully built, the $2.6 billion track will run on a 9.8-mile stretch between Floral Park and Hicksville. 

In an August op-ed in Blank Slate Media, LIRR Interim President Catherine Rinaldi said the Third Track is ahead of schedule and under budget. 

The Third Track project, like the LIRR trains that will use it, will serve customers across the region,” Rinaldi said. “It is part of an entire plan of infrastructure improvements that will ease train congestion at Penn Station, introduce LIRR service to Grand Central Terminal, increase capacity at Jamaica station and improve service into Brooklyn and Manhattan.”

In December, the long-awaited Harrison Avenue parking garage became fully operational and open for business. 

Part of the LIRR Expansion Project, the garage has been constructed at the Mineola station west of Mineola Boulevard between Harrison Avenue and First Street and replaces a surface-level parking area. The five-level garage represents a net increase of 446 parking spaces serving the Mineola station.

The parking garage is one of two being built in conjunction with the Long Island Rail Road project

The 551-space garage replaces the previous surface parking area and represents a net increase of 446 parking spaces. The garage is currently managed by the Village of Mineola after construction was done by the state. 

The total project for Mineola included the elimination of the Willis Avenue and Main Street grade crossings and the replacement of the Mineola substation and motor generator.