Title:	MTA LIRR East Side Access (ESA)
Client:	Metropolitan Transportation Authority / Long Island Rail Road (MTA/LIRR)
Contact:	Gareth Rees System Engineering Consultant Manger MTA East Side Access 469 7^th Ave. New York, NY 10018 Tel: (212) 967-0395
Status:	Preliminary design completed on-time and within budget.
Description:	Preliminary planning and design of all Communications Systems for East Side Access.

The East Side Access (ESA) project connects the LIRR to Grand Central Terminal. ESA makes use of the existing 63rd Street tunnel lower level, which runs under the East River. The ESA project will increase LIRR’s capacity into Manhattan by 45%. Connections to LIRR’s Main Line and Port Washington branch and a new commuter rail station in Sunnyside, Queens will also be provided under this project.

CWA directed and performed communications planning through conceptual and into preliminary design as a member of the System Engineering Consultant (SEC) team prior to receipt of FTA Record of Decision. This effort included liaison and coordination among ESA consultant teams (SEC, TEC & PMC), the Long Island Rail Road, Metro-North Railroad and related MTA agencies.

Planning and design performed by CWA included transmission and support systems for:

• Backbone Communications (fiber optic networks)

• Life-safety Systems

• New passenger facilities (Public Address and Message Boards)

• Telephone Systems

• Signals (including CBTC)

• Radio (operations and support)

• Substation Control (SCADA)

• Control Center Interfaces (GCT, Jamaica Central Control and Penn Station Central Control)