The Nassau Boulevard Bridge, located in the Village of Garden City along the LIRR Main Line, has been removed and replaced with a three-track structure as part of the LIRR Expansion Project. The bridge replacement was completed over a single weekend, October 5-6, 2019 and the roadway beneath the bridge was reopened to automobile traffic.
The former low-hanging bridge was 11’6” and had been the site of many accidents over the years by trucks striking the bridge, resulting in train delays in both directions while LIRR crews worked to determine the bridge’s safety and structural stability before restoring train service. Bridges below 14 feet are vulnerable to bridge strikes: in 2016, there were 20 bridge strikes in Nassau County, illustrating the need to improve the safety and reliability for both vehicles and LIRR passengers by replacing low-hanging bridges. The new bridge is 14’ high, so trucks can pass safely underneath.
This effort is part of the broader LIRR Expansion Project from Floral Park to Hicksville, which began in 2018.