Dear Acting President Fee, 

We are reaching out to you to request New York’s Metropolitan Transit Authority to urgently consider the reopening of the Center Moriches Station on the Long Island Rail Road’s Montauk line.  When the LIRR stations began upgrading to high-level platforms, in 1998 the decision was made to close the Center Moriches Station due to a low passenger count at the time.   However, it has been nearly three decades and much has changed including the flourishing growth of our population, to which Center Moriches has gained several thousands of new families. In fact, at the MTA’s direction, the Township of Brookhaven produced a study that clearly demonstrates our community’s tremendous growth since the train station’s closure. That growth continues at a rapid pace.

However, today, our community is suffering the consequences of a decision made in 1998. The closure of the Center Moriches Station has severely limited our fast-growing community’s access to public rail transportation. It presents real hardships on our community members, especially those living with disabilities, lower-income residents, seniors and the rapidly growing number of daily commuters. 

The distance to the nearest stations, Mastic-Shirley or Speonk, is neither walkable or reasonably accessible by local ground transportation. Cabs or Uber are expensive (@$20), unreliable and inconvenient. Traveling to those other stations significantly adds to an already considerable travel time.

Reopening our station would take numerous vehicles off our congested roads while preventing the depreciation of those vehicles. And notably, it would also increase job opportunities by making train transportation more possible and reachable for our community members. 

Perhaps most importantly, reconnecting our community will have a positive impact on our shared environment, our quality of life and underscore the importance of public transportation. Center Moriches is a town rich with history, youth, and growth. Let’s put Center Moriches back on the map, honor our community’s undeniable evolution, and make a lasting change on our community for generations to come. 

We, the People, request that you reopen the Center Moriches Station.

 

 

(Above: a historic image of the old Center Moriches train station in the 1920's.)

 

 

(Above: an image of the Center Moriches station before closure. Est: ~1990's)

 

 

(Above: the most recent photo of the Center Moriches station. The LIRR passes directly through the footprints of what once was. An image that gleams with possibility of what could be for the future of Moriches!)