LIRR full service into Grand Central increases ridership

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Penn Station between 6:21 a.m. and 9:34 a.m., according to ofcials.

The branch’s afternoon and evening rush hour schedule will also see a 43% increase in service, including three express trains. A total of 20 trains will leave Manhattan between 4:06 p.m. and 7:43 p.m., six more than the 14 trains that currently provided that service to commuters on the Port Washington branch, according to ofcials.

North Hempstead Supervisor Jennifer

DeSena echoed the impact and signifcance of the new terminal, which will bring riders from Long Island directly into Grand Central Station.

“Grand Central Madison represents a transformative project that is the culmination of many years of hard work,” DeSena said. “I thank interim LIRR President Cathy Rinaldi and MTA CEO Janno Lieber for prioritizing the needs of Long Island, and especially the residents of the Town of North Hempstead.”

While Grand Central Madison is a step in the right direction in providing for the needs of commuters from Long Island, DeSena said that the work does not stop here.

“While I am hopeful that this increase in service will be a boon for our residents and businesses, I will continue to push for expanded express train service and station upgrades for residents on the Port Washington line, as the full benefts of Grand Central Madison can only truly be felt once increased service is ofered to ofset what was lost to accommodate this project,” DeSena said.

Transit historian Larry Penner, who previously served as the director of the Federal Transit Administration’s Region 2 ofce of operations and project management, said there need to be improvements in the station.

A lack of newsstands, recycling options, seating capacity, restroom facilities and missing escalators, he said, are some areas in need of improvement.

Legislature OKs maps Dems deem illegal

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Republican Presiding Ofcer Rich Nicolello said the new maps featured Democratic ofcials having an enrollment edge in 15 of the 19 legislative districts, but Abrahams disagreed.

“It is not surprising that such a deeply fawed, self-serving process would produce an extreme partisan gerrymander that disenfranchises Nassau’s minority communities and violates numerous federal, state, and local laws,” Abrahams said in a statement. “By passing this illegal map, the Republican Majority has recklessly placed Nassau County on a collision course towards numerous lawsuits that will ultimately cost taxpayers millions of dollars.”

“Is this map perfect?” Nicolello asked during Monday’s session. “No. But perfection is impossible in redistricting. This map is a fair map, it provides equal representation for all our residents and protects community interests as much as possible.”

Abrahams, under the new map, is put into a district inhabited by more Republicans than the current 1st District. Democratic county Legislator Arnold Drucker, in a statement, expressed his displeasure with the proposal that splits Plainview and redraws the lines in his district.

“The current proposal is an extreme partisan gerrymander that carves apart Plainview and other communities across the 16th Legislative District,” Drucker said. “This is not about the political fate of one person over another – it is much more signifcant. This is a brazen attempt to dilute and render irrelevant the voices of all Democrats residing in the 16th District and it must not stand.”

Legislator Josh Lafazan will be pushed into the 16th Legislative District, represented by Drucker, according to the map.

Abrahams said there is likely no scenario in which the maps “will not be challenged in court.” Other changes to North Shore areas include the expansion of the 10th District into Munsey Park, Plandome and Plandome Manor.

Under the map, the villages of Roslyn, Roslyn Harbor and parts of Glenwood Landing are included in the 11th District, with Greenvale, East Hills and other parts of Glenwood Landing in the 18th District, Roslyn Estates in the 10th District and parts of Roslyn Heights in the