LIRR Set For Widespread Disruptions This Weekend Due To Signal Work At UBS Arena

LONG ISLAND, NY — Long Island Railroad service will see major disruptions this weekend as as crews perform signal work at the UBS Arena stop, the MTA announced.

For Hempstead branch passengers, there will be no train service between 8 p.m. Friday and 4:30 a.m. Monday, the MTA said. The Oyster Bay branch will also be out of service this weekend, starting at 10 p.m. Friday and remaining out of order through 4:30 a.m. Monday.

Port Jefferson and Ronkonkoma trains will only run between Hicksville and points east between 10 p.m. Friday and 4:30 a.m. Monday, with eastbound trains skipping UBS Arena starting at 9 p.m. Friday.

For Ronkonkoma passengers, there's a shuttle train from Hicksville to Babylon where trains to and from Penn Station will stop.

The signal work at UBS Arena is part of an ongoing, summer-long effort that the MTA says will ensure, “more reliable service and increased speeds for eastbound Huntington and Ronkonkoma trains that stop at Elmont-UBS Arena.”

This weekend, the MTA says crews will be testing and commissioning the new system.

While there will be changes across the board to LIRR service, one branch — Babylon — will have extra trains running, with some on modified schedules. The MTA advised riders that those Babylon trains may be unusually busy or crowded due to the disruptions along other lines.

Finally, on the Montauk branch, there will be some extra service between Speonk and Babylon in an effort to accommodate disruptions elsewhere. Those trains, like the ones on the Babylon line, are expected to be busier than normal due to the disruptions elsewhere on the railroad.

A map of this weekend’s LIRR service is available here.

For Hempstead and Oyster Bay passengers, there are some alternatives available: The MTA said a shuttle bus will run between Jamaica and Hempstead, stopping at Floral Park, Stewart Manor, Nassau Boulevard and Garden City stations, while UBS Arena, Bellerose and Country Life Press stations will have no service. MTA buses are also scheduled to accept railroad tickets on routes between Jamaica, Hollis and Queens Village. The last train to Hempstead Friday will depart from Penn Station at 7:20 p.m., the MTA said.

Meanwhile on the Oyster Bay line, there will be shuttle bus service between Jamaica and Oyster Bay in two zones, one stopping at Jamaica, Mineola, East Williston and all stops through Greenvale while the other will stop at Jamaica, Mineola, Glen Head and all stops through Oyster Bay. The last train to Oyster Bay Friday night will depart from Jamaica at 10:09 p.m., the MTA said.

Further information on the planned schedule changes is available through the MTA here.