'Engineering Marvel': New Hyde Park Underpass Unveiled (VIDEO)

NEW HYDE PARK, NY — A ribbon-cutting ceremony has been held for a new underpass in New Hyde Park, that officials called "an engineering marvel."

Laura Curran, the county executive, was joined by MTA and other lawmakers Thursday afternoon in unveiling the Covert Avenue project, which allows vehicles to pass safely underneath the tracks of Long Island Rail Road's busy Main Line. The underpass not only saves drivers time — they no longer have to wait at the railroad crossing for trains to pass — but it also increases safety, officials said at a news conference.

New York Assemblyman Ed Ra told reporters he was skeptical at first, but praised the finished product.

"Really, this has been an engineering marvel," he said.

Curran noted the underpass was built on time and on budget, opening within 180 days. It includes a pedestrian walkway and each lane passing under the tracks is 11 feet wide.

The project is part of the LIRR's Expansion Project, also known as the Third Track project. It is the second of eight at-grade railroad crossings being eliminated in efforts to improve safety, train reliability and traffic flow, as well as reducing annoying noises.

Below is a Patch photo roundup and video of the project, which is open but still under construction.