After millions were spent on renovations last year, the village’s Metro-North station will be getting a further makeover, using state grant money.
The Village Board of Trustees voted recently to spend $78,000 on upgrades underneath the Westchester Avenue rail bridge.
The repair project, which will be carried out by Connecticut-based Milone & MacBroom Inc., includes new L.E.D. lighting and art murals underneath the bridge, which was recently repainted.
"We feel like we've been neglected with the maintenance of the station for a lot of years," said Mayor Richard Falanka. "So this is something that we need here in Port Chester."
The new project is being funded with a grant received from the State Dormitory Authority in 2008. But the village never spent the money, and now they're picking up where they left off.
“Mayor Falanka has really spent a lot of time trying to move this forward,” said Trustee Frank Ferrara.
The rail bridge improvements are just one component of a much larger multi-year program meant to upgrade all aspects of the station.
In December 2017, Metro-North opened a new elevator and handicap accessible ramp. That $6.1 million project, which started in October 2017, made the station fully accessible to people with mobility disabilities.
That same month the MTA also approved a $91.5 million capital spending plan for improvements at the White Plains, Harlem-125th Street, Crestwood, Port Chester and Riverdale stations. The work includes installment of new signs, platforms, lighting, bathrooms and enhanced wireless internet and cell phone service.
In Port Chester, the improvements include:
• A new canopy and plaza, known as a "kiss & ride", for easy drop offs.
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WiFi connectivity.
• Refurbishing and paving the station parking lot.
• New benches & recycling receptacles along both platforms.
• A public art installation along the guard rails of the “kiss and ride.”
(c) lohud, 2018