LIRR to build second temporary platform at Hamptons Bays

The Long Island Rail Road is adding a second temporary platform at Hampton Bays and making several other improvements to its Montauk Branch as it preps for a busy summer surge on the South Fork and the U.S. Open Golf Tournament. Alek Lewis reports in NEWSDAY that the temporary platform, on the station's southern side, will allow two trains to simultaneously unload passengers in Hampton Bays, according to Southampton Town and state officials. That could help trains run more often on the South Fork and provide a boost for visitors, residents and commuters.The second platform will provide “operational flexibility" on the Montauk Branch, especially on busy weekends, according to the MTA. The first four-car lengths of the platform are expected to be completed by Memorial Day, with another two-car lengths before the start of the U.S. Open Golf Championship in mid-June. The tournament this year is being hosted at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton.The LIRR is expecting a surge in ridership on the line during the tournament. In 2018, when the event was last in Shinnecock, spectators using the Montauk Branch filled parking lots at two high-volume LIRR stations west of the South Fork to capacity. Railroad use helped relieve traffic congestion on roadways, local officials said at the time.A temporary platform will be installed at Stony Brook University's Southampton campus. Riders can walk from there to the golf course. A temporary bridge will also be built over County Road 39 so pedestrians can walk to the course without disrupting traffic. The LIRR platform and bridge will be taken down after the tournament, the MTA said.While currently deemed “temporary,” local officials are hopeful the additional Hampton Bays platform could become permanent and boost the South Fork Commuter Connection, the coordinated rail and shuttle bus system that brings riders from Speonk and Montauk to job centers in East Hampton and Southampton towns.***Smoother commutes could be on the horizon for Long Islanders as state highway crews launch an aggressive spring cleanup effort to fill potholes and resurface roads after a harsh winter.New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the state will invest $58.8 million in Nassau and Suffolk counties to repave roads, fill potholes and improve curb and sidewalk ramps. Tara Smith reports in NEWSDAY that the effort includes projects on the Northern State Parkway, Hempstead Turnpike, Nassau Expressway, Veterans Memorial Highway, Sunrise Highway service roads and Route 25 that will begin “immediately,” according to Gordon Tepper, a spokesman for Hochul's office.They are the first batch of a larger, $107 million commitment to repave approximately 225 lane miles of state roads on Long Island. Additional projects are expected to be announced later this year, officials said. Winter weather wreaked havoc on Long Island roads with heavy snow, frequent plowing and freeze-thaw cycles that cracked pavement and carved potholes, some of them massive.“This has been one of the coldest, most unforgiving winters in New York in recent memory, but the great news is that paving season is finally here and we will be renewing thousands of miles of roads across New York,” Hochul said in a statement.***The Town of Southold is holding a presentation on “Understanding Subdivisions & Land Preservation in Southold Town” hosted by the North Fork Civics this coming Thursday, April 9 at 6:30 p.m. at Veterans Park in Mattituck. Southold Town Supervisor Al Krupski, Planning Director Heather Lanza and Land Preservation Coordinator Lillian McCullough will discuss subdivision rules, the process for lot creation, conservation and affordable housing, balancing responsible development with farmland and open space protection, smart growth, data trends and the policies that have “preserved Southold’s rural character and land.”The Forum on “Understanding Subdivisions & Land Preservation in Southold Town” is free and this coming Thursday at Veterans Beach in Mattituck from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.***Long Islanders are getting slammed in every direction by rising utility costs — with electric bills jumping as much as 20% and water rates increasing for the third straight year for millions of customers.Local power costs have surged, going $294 million over budget through February alone, mainly driven by record cold weather and the war in the Middle East, according to the Long Island Power Authority and experts. Brandon Cruz reports in THE NY POST that those costs have been passed along in the form of massive bill increases of 15% to 20% this year to customers already averaging around $200 a month in 2025.The Suffolk County Water Authority meanwhile approved a $346 million budget at the end of last month effectively hiking customer rates by 2.81%, to bump the average homeowner’s annual water bill just over $16 and bring the average cost — just for access to clean water — to more than $600 a year starting June 1. The water authority previously approved hikes as high as 4.17% in 2024 and 2.99% last year.The water authority — which serves about 1.2 million Suffolk County residents — said the budget boost helps upgrade infrastructure and treatment capabilities without “placing an undue financial burden” on its customers.The SCWA said its rates remain a relative bargain compared to its regional competitors.“Our bills remain well below the industry average in New York,” SCWA CEO Jeff Szabo said during a State of the Authority address recently, adding his team developed the budget with “fiscal responsibility” in mind. ​***New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the state will invest $58.8 million in Nassau and Suffolk counties to repave roads, fill potholes and improve curb and sidewalk ramps. Tara Smith reports in NEWSDAY that the state is spending $17.7 million on Suffolk County roads including Route 25 in Riverhead, from Route 25A to Splish Splash Drive.Deteriorating conditions on the roughly 3-mile stretch of Middle Country Road in Calverton have drawn concerns from local officials and first responders.Riverhead Town Councilman Ken Rothwell, who also volunteers with the Wading River Fire Department, said first responders have had to pull over on the side of the road to take vital signs and perform EKG tests.“It is so bumpy and choppy that EMTs and paramedics in the back [of an ambulance] cannot get a good EKG reading,” he told NEWSDAY on Saturday.NYS Assemb. Jodi Giglio (R-Riverhead) said the project was originally slated for completion in 2028 but accelerated after hearing from emergency crews and a tough winter.Lights and cones were already visible along Route 25 on Friday.That heavily traveled stretch of NY-25 in Calverton will be closed overnight on weekdays starting April 16, as the much-anticipated resurfacing project begins. Denise Civiletti reports on Riverheadlocal.com that Rosemar Contracting, the contractor on the project, said there will be full closures of Middle Country Road (NY-25 between Parker Road (NY-25A) and Manor Road/Splish Splash Drive in Calverton, Monday through Friday from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. for milling, paving and line-striping operations.The overnight closures are expected to continue through about May 29. Detour signs are being posted to route traffic around the work zone.The NYS Department of Transportation lists the project completion date as Dec. 31, 2026.***The Southampton Rose Society will host its annual Rose Planting and Pruning Session this coming Saturday, April 11, from 10 a.m. to 12 noon in the Rose Garden at Rogers Memorial Library in Southampton Village.The free, hands-on program marks the start of the society’s spring season and is designed to make rose gardening accessible to all. Attendees will learn essential techniques from noted rosarian Peter Bertrand, who will demonstrate how to properly plant and prune a variety of rose bushes, including climbers.Bertrand will also offer guidance on fertilization, soil management and proper watering practices, and will be available to answer questions from participants. No registration is required; instructional pamphlets will be provided to attendees.The rose holds special significance as the official flower of the United States, New York State and Southampton Village, underscoring the importance of the society’s work in preserving and promoting rose cultivation locally.Now in its 50th year, the Southampton Rose Society will host its annual Rose Planting and Pruning Session this coming Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 noon in the Rose Garden at Rogers Memorial Library in Southampton.For more information, visit southamptonrose.org.***King Kullen's meat and seafood workers reached a tentative agreement with the company on Saturday, ending a strike that began Thursday in response to failed negotiations for a new contract and allegations that the grocer engaged in unfair labor practices. Tory N. Parrish and Sam Kmack report in NEWSDAY that the union announced that it reached a tentative deal with the company after talks resumed Friday night and extended into Saturday morning. The company confirmed the provisional pact."Our members are happy to get back to work so they can provide for their communities," UFCW Local 342 wrote in a news release.Keeley Lampo, director of activities and communications for the union, said the tentative agreement was reached about 4 a.m. Saturday and that it includes compensation and retirement increases for workers."We got the language that we wanted