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What are you more excited for:
- MacArthur-LIRR Connection
- Amtrak Service on Long Island
State transportation officials are investing $150 million for a pedestrian walkway connecting the proposed North Terminal at MacArthur Airport to the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) station in Ronkonkoma, Gov. Kathy Hochul said.
The ambitious project, announced Wednesday, Feb. 12, will also include redesigned road networks and infrastructure upgrades aimed at enhancing accessibility and fueling economic growth, Hochul’s office said.
“Long Islanders deserve modern, efficient transit systems that make their daily lives easier and fuel local economic growth,” Hochul said. “This investment will create good-paying union jobs while transforming how Long Islanders connect to one another, to New York, and to the rest of the world.”
Building on the state’s prior $40 million commitment to the airport’s North Terminal in 2022, the project positions MacArthur Airport as a key transportation hub for Long Island, unlocking the potential of 48 acres of surrounding land and bolstering tourism and business opportunities.
News of the expansion comes weeks after Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine confirmed that Amtrak will begin running trains to Ronkonkoma as part of its “Northeast Regional” extension. Plans call for three daily round trips connecting Washington, DC, New York City, and Ronkonkoma, with stops at Jamaica (Queens) and Hicksville.
“This would entail track, station, and infrastructure upgrades to accommodate these trains and better integrate Amtrak service with Long Island Rail Road commuter service,” Amtrak said in a statement.
The company estimates Amtrak service to Ronkonkoma would begin in 2028.
What Do You Think? What are you more excited for–MacArthur connecting to LIRR, or Amtrak expanding to Long Island? Sound off in our poll above.
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