The new Grand Central Madison terminal for the Long Island Rail Road will still open by the end of 2022, the MTA promised Tuesday, with just a month before the new year and testing still underway.
Construction on the 750,000-square-foot terminal — and the 3.5 miles of new tunnels under the East River and Midtown Manhattan connecting the LIRR to the east side of Manhattan — has been essentially complete for months, with everything from directional signage to fire alarms installed and ready to go.
But extensive testing is still underway to ensure that all systems at the new concourse — which will bring LIRR trains to Grand Central Terminal and increase weekday service by 40% on the commuter railroad — are fully functional and safe for the tens of thousands of riders expected to pass through every day, leaving the official opening date up in the air.