Suffolk Executive Bellone and LIRR President Williams Offer Procurement Opportunities to Small, Minority and Women Business Owners

Bellone: The Double Track Project Offers Opportunities for a Wide Variety of Long Island Firms

(Hauppauge, NY- March 26, 2013) – In a move designed to provide more economic opportunities to small, minority and women-owned businesses, County Executive Steve Bellone and Long Island Railroad (LIRR) President Helena E. Williams today announced a special event to facilitate participation in procurements with the LIRR.  The April 19th event, which will be held at Suffolk Community College, supports a $138 million project to build a second track on the LIRR’s main line from Farmingdale to Ronkonkoma beginning in July 2013. 

“Accelerating the Double Track project is already beginning to promote Suffolk’s economy in that the project opens up a world of opportunities to do business with the Long Island Railroad,” said County Executive Bellone.  “From general contractors to electrical, grading, paving and trucking, the project will create opportunities for a wide range of industry sectors, and I am delighted to partner with the LIRR to bring these business opportunities to Suffolk’s small, minority and women business owners.”  

“The Double Track project will create hundreds of jobs, spur economic activity on Long Island, improve service on the LIRR’s busy Ronkonkoma Branch, and allow for more connections to MacArthur Airport,” said LIRR President Williams. “The event on April 19th will allow small firms owned by minorities and women to learn how to compete for the work associated with this key project.”

“County Executive Bellone’s support of the Double Track project has been critical,” said Williams. “We thank him for offering to help us host this MWBE information conference.” 

“Construction of a full second track on the LIRR Main Line between Farmingdale and Ronkonkoma will be a tremendous advantage for revitalization efforts at Wyandanch Rising and the Ronkonkoma Hub, two projects the Long Island Regional Economic Development Council (LIRC) has identified as a priority,” said LIRC co-chairs Stu Rabinowitz and Kevin Law in a statement. 

Construction of a second track along the 18-mile stretch between Ronkonkoma and Farmingdale will boost the local economy by increasing train service to employment centers, providing opportunities for Transit-Oriented Development and improving train service to/from Long Island MacArthur Airport.  No property acquisition is needed for the Double Track project as it will be completed entirely within the LIRR’s existing Right of Way.

The first phase of the project – from Ronkonkoma to Central Islip - is scheduled to begin by the end of the year. The second phase of the project – from Central Islip to Farmingdale – requires another $300 million in funding and could begin in 2016.

The event will be held from 10 AM to 1 PM at the Health, Sports and Education Center at the Suffolk Community College Michael K. Grant Campus, Brentwood, conveniently located off the Long Island Expressway, Exit 53.  For a map of the campus, go to: http://www.sunysuffolk.edu/About/HSECMap.asp

To RSVP to the event, email: ecodevintern2@suffolkcountyny.gov

For more information, call the Suffolk Department of Economic

Development & Planning, (631) 853 – 4800.  

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