Long Island Rail Road President Phillip Eng today announced that the LIRR has completed work to lengthen the platforms at Forest Hills and Kew Gardens. The platforms are 50% longer than they were previously, allowing six cars of a train to meet the platform instead of four as previously.

The project was completed by LIRR personnel in seven weeks. Work began on July 23.

“I hope that this project demonstrates the new sense of urgency that the LIRR is bringing to bear on projects that can improve our customers’ commutes,” Eng said. “This change will have real benefits for our riders, and we accomplished it in less than two months by identifying a pinch-point where we incur delays and quickly marshalling our dedicated and capable workforce to make a fix. I want to thank the hard-working LIRR employees who made this project happen, and, throughout the railroad, all of our men and women who are bringing renewed energy to tackling the myriad projects that we need to tackle to improve service.”

Forest Hills has become a popular destination in recent years for LIRR customers attending concerts at Forest Hills Stadium. Forest Hills and Kew Gardens are the 51st and 56th busiest of the LIRR’s 124 stations, respectively, with average weekday ridership at Forest Hills of 1,967 passengers and 1,778 at Kew Gardens. Delays caused by extended boarding times at these two stations are experienced by customers up and down the Main Line.

“At Kew Gardens and Forest Hills, we hope our trains will be less congested, faster, and more pleasant,” Eng said. “With more doors to board from, we anticipate more efficient train operations at both stations. We’re committed to improving conditions for all our customers, and this is a win not only for Queen, but for customers who ride from Nassau and Suffolk into Penn Station, who we hope will experience fewer delays through this area.”

LIRR trains can be up to 12 cars long. Both stations have two side platforms north and south of the tracks. The railroad extended both platforms at Forest Hills and both platforms at Kew Gardens 200 feet westward using steel scaffolding structures supporting fiberglass decking.