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(The following story by John Valenti appeared on the Newsday website on February 28.)

NEW YORK — Riders, no doubt, might view it as adding insult to injury.

But the Metropolitan Transportation Authority will raise fares on the Long Island Rail Road on Saturday. On Monday, the MTA and LIRR just announced that new timetables taking effect will include track work programs that will affect service on the Port Washington, Montauk, Long Beach, Far Rockaway and Hempstead branches — some of those so-called “service adjustments” including being forced onto the subway or onto buses.

Railroad officials said that “a major switch reconstruction program” will require “significant” schedule changes on the Port Washington branch for four weekends — March 15-16, March 29-30, April 5-6 and May 17-18 — as riders are forced onto the No. 7 train for portions of their commute.

On the Montauk Branch, one track will be out of service from March 24 until April 2 for grade crossing construction work at Station Road in Bellport and Bay Pointe Drive in Moriches. That will force eastbound riders onto buses between Patchogue and Montauk and westbound passengers onto buses between Speonk and Babylon — increasing travel time by 45 minutes.

Weekend switch replacement work east of Jamaica will cause schedule changes for passengers to St. Albans and those who use the Long Beach Branch, railroad officials said.

Construction work near the Flatbush Avenue Terminal will force changes to weekday train schedules on the Atlantic Branch between Jamaica and Brooklyn, with five eastbound and five westbound Far Rockaway Branch trains, as well as five eastbound and five westbound Hempstead Branch affected by the changes.

Some customers, however, will catch a break amid all the announced schedule changes.

Overnight work weeknights — as well as planned weekend LIPA pole installation work — has been cancelled, meaning that previously announced schedule changes on the Oyster Bay Branch will not take effect Monday. Instead, officials are advising Oyster Bay Branch customers to “disregard” the bus schedule option between Locust Valley and Osyter Bay, saying trains will operate on their normal schedules.

For additional information regarding schedules and fare increases, customers can consult the LIRR Web site at www.mta.info — or they can pick up informational brochures at railroad stations.

For schedule-specific information, riders can call the 24-hour travel hotline at 631-231-LIRR in Suffolk, 516-822-LIRR in Nassau or 718-217-LIRR in New York.

MTA hikes Bus, Bridge and Tunnel tolls and fares as well

While Long Island Rail Road fare increases begin Saturday, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has announced that New York City Transit fares and Long Island Bus fares will increase starting Sunday. Fares on MTA Bridge and Tunnel crossings will go into effect at 3 a.m. on March 16.

The toll increases will go from $4.50 cash payment per segment on major crossings to $5, while E-ZPass tolls will go from $4 to $4.15. Tolls on minor crossings will go from $2.25 to $2.50 per segment. Truck, multi-axle vehicle and motorcycle tolls also will increase.

The new subway and bus base fares will not increase, but unlimited ride cards and other MetroCard rates will be affected by the changes.