Port Chester rail station upgrades complete

GREENWICH — Greenwich residents who use Port Chester as a point of departure for train trips can now enjoy a newly improved station.

The Metro-North station just over the New York border is regularly used by western Greenwich residents, particularly those in Byram. The improvements to the train station were officially completed recently as part of the MTA’s Enhanced Stations Initiative.

While the initiative does not directly benefit Connecticut, it does give a boost to state residents traveling in and out of New York City via Port Chester. The initiative is also “transforming” stations in Crestwood, Harlem 125th Street, Riverdale and White Plains as well as in Port Chester, the MTA said.

In Port Chester, new entrance signs and LED lighting has been installed along with a new canopy and plaza, which will have free wi-fi for passengers. MetroNorth playfully dubbed the new addition the “kiss and ride canopy and plaza.”

Additionally, the parking lot at the station is newly repaved and striped. These enhancements will improve “the customer experience of traveling to and from the station,” Metro North said.

A raised crosswalk was also installed to create safer and easier travel from the plaza to the sidewalk on Broad Street.

“Well-maintained, safe and welcoming stations help make riding Metro-North each day a positive experience for our customers,” said Catherine Rinaldi, president of Metro-North Railroad, in a statement. The improvements “are having a real impact in many of our customers’ lives every single day.”

Landscaping work at the station is expected to begin this spring.

Nearly 3,000 commuters a day use the Port Chester station. To reach the goal of making the station more accessible, an old ramp was demolished and replaced as part of improvements in 2018 and an elevator was installed on Westchester Avenue next to the rail bridge. That carries passengers between the sidewalk level and the Connecticut-bound platform.

“Port Chester is thrilled with the station improvements, and we have received many compliments about these upgrades,” Port Chester Mayor Richard Falanka said in a statement. “We are pleased that Metro-North included (the) Port Chester station in its Enhanced Station Initiative and my thanks to Metro-North for making our station brighter, safer and as accessible as possible to everyone who uses it.”