W.P. seeking grants for water system

To apply for total of $10M in 2 requests

BY BRANDON DUFFY

The Williston Park Board of Trustees Monday night authorized two resolutions to apply for grants on water treatment facilities in the event they need to be constructed.

The village is applying for grants issued through the state Department of Health’s Environmental Facilities Corporation by the Water Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2017. The program provides grants to municipalities for wastewater and drinking water infrastructure projects.

One grant would be for the construction of a treatment system to remove chemicals at wells 1A and 2 and have a maximum cost of $13,810,000. The village is applying for a $5 million grant to partly cover the cost and would use a bond for $8,810,000 to cover the difference if authorized.

Another $5 million grant would be for the construction of a treatment system to remove chemicals at well 4

BY CAMERYN OAKES

The Metropolitan Transit Authority is proposing a series of changes to the Long Island Rail Road that will roll out over the next couple of months, including fare increases and service adjustments to the Port Washington and Oyster Bay branches.

On Aug. 20, monthly and weekly tickets for the LIRR will increase by up to 4.5%. Monthly ticket fares will not exceed $500, which the MTA website states is to address high ticket pricing for the furthest railroad zones.

For example, monthly fares from Zone 4, which includes New Hyde Park, East Williston, Great Neck, Manhasset and Port Washington, to Penn Station and Grand Central Madison will increase from $243 to $253.

For those traveling from Zone 7, which includes Albertson, Roslyn, Sea Cliff and Glen Cove, to Manhattan, monthly fares will rise from $277 to $287.

While ticket pricing will be increasing, fares will be lower than they were prior to the COVID-19 pandemic due to a 10% discount implemented in March

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2022, according to the MTA website. The discount for traveling off-peak will also be standardized at 26% for both the LIRR and Metro-North. The prior discount rates were established at 27.5% for the LIRR and 25% for Metro-North, which provides service between New York City and the northern suburbs in New York and Connecticut.

The standardization of off-peak travel discounts will lead to an increase of 6% to 7% on LIRR off-peak tickets and an increase of 2% to 3% on Metro-North off-peak tickets.

The LIRR will continue offering UniTicket fares to travel on both commuter rail and connecting bus and ferry services. Changes in these fares will be based in part on changes to weekly and monthly transit fares.

In tandem with fare changes, many LIRR branches will be implementing service changes on Sept. 5. These changes are being introduced to increase service to Penn Station and add more direct services to Brooklyn, according to the MTA website.

On the Oyster Bay Branch, the 7:17 a.m. train from Oyster Bay to Penn Station will have all riders transfer to an

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The Manhattan-bound 7:01 a.m. train from Oyster Bay will also be converted to an express train. skipping the Glen Cove, Sea Cliff, Greenvale, Albertson and Mineola stations.

State Assemblymember Charles Lavine (D-Glen Cove) said he is pleased with the service changes. He said the changes were achieved after monthslong communication between him, Glen Cove City Councilwoman Danielle Fugazy and the MTA.

“We have worked hand in hand and I look forward to continuing to build on the progress made here in an ongoing effort to make the commute a little easier for riders of the Oyster Bay branch,” Lavine said.

Effective immediately, Oyster Bay branch trains heading towards Jamaica and leaving at 4:56 a.m. and 5:56 a.m. will not stop at the Mineola station. Eastbound trains leaving at 6:22 p.m. will also not stop at the Mineola station.

The Port Washington Branch will have two changes implemented to its service.

Continued on Page 46 with a maximum cost of $8,429,000. If approved for the grant, the village would authorize a bond up to a maximum of $3,429,000 if approved.

Williston Park’s Water Department consists of three active wells which service approximately 18 miles of mains, according to the village’s website.

The village’s water system serves approximately 7,500 residents through 2,400 service connections, according to the 2022 water quality report.

Williston Park customers received 221,293,000 gallons of water last year, the report said.

In unrelated village news, trustees encouraged residents to attend the annual “Children’s Parade for a Safer Williston Park” on Tuesday, Aug. 1, at 7 p.m.

The village is partnering with National Night Out for the parade and a police officer from the 3rd Precinct will be the guest speaker, Mayor Paul Ehrbar said.

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