The newly renovated Mastic-Shirley Long Island Rail Road station may boast new shelters, LED lights, and railing, but its $7.2 million price tag has riders and elected officials questioning whether taxpayers got their money’s worth.
Prompted by resident complaints, State Senator Dean Murray formally requested a full breakdown of the costs earlier this spring. This week, the Long Island Rail Road responded with a detailed letter outlining the expenses, ranging from nearly $1 million for prefabricated shelters to $880,000 for project management.
“There are some items in the cost breakdown that I’m reviewing,” Murray said. “While I appreciate the upgrades made to the station, several constituents and officials have raised legitimate questions.”
According to the letter sent by Nick Fasano, the LIRR’s Director of Government and Community Relations, the renovation was funded under the 2020–2024 MTA Capital Plan and carried out through standard procurement and oversight processes. Fasano emphasized that the project was completed within budget and included participation from a small business mentoring program.
“The Mastic-Shirley station was in desperate need of renovation,” Fasano wrote. “The capital project delivers a beautiful modern station for our riders.”
“The problem here is the cost vs. what we got,” stated Assemblyman Joe DeStefano, whose district includes the commuter station. “More than $7 million for small prefabricated shelters and some concrete work seems like an awful lot,” he said, noting that the new shelters don’t provide adequate seating. “And $880,000 for project management is ridiculous.”
Commuter Katherine Nocerino also took aim at the effort: “This colossally expensive renovation was completed without the provision of seating for passengers or heating and cooling. After 9/11, the MTA received tons of money from the Federal government to improve communications. This was not done,” she said.
The cost details themselves, provided for the first time, have fueled more skepticism:
- $2.38 million for structural and platform repairs
- $1.42 million for plaza elements, including granite benches, signage, planters, and ADA improvements
- $915,000 for shelter fabrication and delivery
- $700,000 for communications upgrades, including trenching and fiber optic work
- $880,000 for project management
- $450,000 for electrical upgrades
- $28,600 for bike racks at seven stations (including Mastic-Shirley)
“It took them almost all winter to construct the useless ‘pavilion’ and put up the new platform shelter,” Nocerino added.
Senator Murray is not letting the issue drop. He has contacted U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, urging federal authorities to consider tying MTA funding to fiscal reforms.
“We’ll help you out, but you’ve gotta clean up your act,” Murray said. “What bothers me is they act like nothing is wrong. They become indignant if someone says they are wasting a ton of money.”
As community frustration simmers, Murray said he’ll continue pushing for greater transparency and oversight. “I understand that infrastructure projects cost money,” he said, “but the people deserve to know if it’s being spent wisely.”
For now, the Mastic-Shirley station stands as a symbol of modernization—and a flashpoint in the ongoing debate over wasteful MTA spending.