New Photos Show Part Of Midtown’s New 700K-Square-Foot LIRR Terminal ‘Grand Central Madison’
This is the largest expansion of LIRR service since the original Penn Station and its East River Tunnels opened on September 8, 1910!
Governor Kathy Hochul announced in a press release on Tuesday, May 31, that the new Long Island Rail Road terminal coming to Midtown will be named Grand Central Madison, and just last week the MTA released photos of the ongoing construction.
The 700,000-square-foot terminal gets its name from the fact that it’s located below Grand Central Terminal and Madison Avenue from 43rd Street to 48th Street, and the project remains on track to finish by the end of this year.
The LIRR has also released draft timetables, giving possible future riders a chance to plan out their route along the line.
Governor Hochul stated, “This is an exciting, historic moment for New York State, Long Island, and the MTA as New Yorkers are just months away from being able to seamlessly ride a train between East Midtown and Long Island. Grand Central Madison…will be a game-changer for Long Island, allowing the LIRR to dramatically expand service and operate more reliably for commuters, and reducing overcrowding at Penn Station.”
The new terminal is the largest passenger rail terminal to be built in the U.S. since the 1950s. Officials state that the $11.1 billion infrastructure project will provide benefits for the entire downstate region including allowing the LIRR to increase morning peak service systemwide by 40% and reducing passenger congestion at Penn Station.
Riders can look forward to eight new tracks and four platforms on two new levels below the existing lower level of Grand Central Terminal. These new levels will include 25 retail storefronts, four new entrances to the street level, and two new entrances into the existing spaces of Grand Central.
The terminal will also feature real-time digital signage, cell service, and Wi-Fi.
Stay updated on information regarding these info sessions on the MTA website.