LIRR Completes Laurelton Station Upgrade: Accessibility Boosts

MTA LIRR completed Laurelton Station’s 119-year-old renovation, enhancing accessibility with new elevators and upgrades. This improves commuter experience and ADA compliance.

January 27, 2026 12:39 am

🛑 Key Takeaways:

MTA Long Island Rail Road has completed accessibility and modernization upgrades at the 119-year-old Laurelton Station in Queens.
The station serves over 80 daily trains on the Far Rockaway Branch; total project cost and timeline were not disclosed.
The project addresses critical state-of-good-repair needs and enhances ADA compliance for a key commuter line.

QUEENS, NY – The MTA’s Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) last week announced the completion of extensive renovations at Laurelton Station, a 119-year-old facility on its Far Rockaway Branch. The project focused on bringing the station into a state of good repair and full accessibility, though the MTA did not release the project’s budget or specific construction timeline.

Category	Specification / Detail
Project	Laurelton Station Modernization & Accessibility Upgrade
Location	Laurelton, Queens, NY (Far Rockaway Branch)
Key Stakeholder	MTA Long Island Rail Road
Value / Budget	Not disclosed by the MTA
Facility Age	119 years
Daily Service Volume	Over 80 LIRR trains

Operational & Technical Details

The core of the upgrade was the installation of a new elevator to improve accessibility. This required the construction of a new access tunnel from street level. Accessibility improvements were also made to the station’s parking lot, sidewalks, and curb ramps.

Passenger systems received significant upgrades. New informational kiosks, updated signage, and CCTV cameras were installed to enhance security and communication. The project also involved extensive relocation of utilities, including electrical, signal, communication, gas, water, and sewer systems to support the new infrastructure.

Market Impact Analysis

The Laurelton Station renovation is indicative of the MTA’s broader capital strategy focused on state-of-good-repair projects for its legacy assets. By prioritizing accessibility, the LIRR addresses deferred maintenance and improves compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a critical requirement for public transit operators. While smaller in scale than system-wide expansion projects, these station-level investments are essential for maintaining operational reliability and improving the daily experience for thousands of commuters, thereby supporting ridership retention on established lines.