Wednesday Headlines: Tennis Train Edition
Gov. Hochul announced a pair of infrastructure projects aimed at easing crowding and improving reliability on the LIRR’s Montauk Branch, where ridership has hit historic highs.
The first phase, starting in early 2028 and wrapping up by mid-2029, will extend the train siding at Amagansett by 14 car-lengths, cutting down the branch’s 27 miles of single track. The second phase will make permanent the temporary second platform installed at Hampton Bays for this year’s U.S. Open, plus track and signal upgrades allowing the station to handle eight-car trains, up from six. No timeline has been set yet for that phase.
The two projects together are estimated at $78 million, part of the MTA’s $68 billion 2025-29 Capital Plan, which includes $6 billion for LIRR improvements. Separately, starting in September, the 5:13 p.m. Penn Station-to-Montauk train — previously summer-only east of Speonk — will run year-round, giving riders a permanent one-seat trip to the East End. Montauk Branch ridership is up 6.4 percent this year, with Hampton Bays up 23 percent and Southampton up 46 percent.
Elsewhere in the Empire State:
- Tonawanda’s town board voted to ditch its Flock Safety license-plate readers for a new system from Axon, citing cost — as critics nationally raise alarms about the lack of regulation around such surveillance tech. (BTPM)
- The Town of Canandaigua is connecting Onanda Park to the Finger Lakes Land Trust’s Vista Preserve, creating a new trail network with hikes ranging from one to 14 miles. (Finger Lakes Times)
- DeWitt Town Councilmember Sarah Klee Hood, a two-time Democratic candidate for the 22nd Congressional District, has resigned her town board seat. (Syracuse.com)
- Albany’s Community Police Review Board tabled a review of a traffic stop involving Councilman John Williamson, who was pulled over for failing to signal. (The Times Union)
- Police across the Mid-Hudson region are cracking down on underage riders and reckless operation of e-bikes, dirt bikes, and ATVs on public roads. (Mid Hudson News)
- City Council Speaker Julie Menin is pushing New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration to revisit Citi Bike age verification; Mamdani says he remains skeptical after being briefed on data-privacy concerns tied to the tech. (amNY)
- The LIRR’s direct 5:13 p.m. Penn Station-to-Montauk train will run every weekday, year-round, starting next month. (Gothamist)
- Brooklyn Democratic Party Chair Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn’s allies won enough votes to push through controversial rule changes expanding the party’s executive committee, despite opposition from Mamdani, Hochul, and congressional leaders. (The City Reporter)
- The Times has its own write-up of Park Slope’s $250,000 “car condominium” parking spot — a story Streetsblog had last year. (The New York Times)
- Gov. Hochul discussed House races, the state’s open Chief Judge seat, and Albany dysfunction in a new interview. (Politico New York)
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