The administration of President Donald Trump has taken charge of the $7 billion reconstruction project for New York City’s Penn Station, according to an announcement by the transportation chief. This decision sidelines the city’s mass transit agency, a move that comes after state and city officials have long sought to overhaul the nation’s busiest rail hub, which has faced significant issues like aging infrastructure and unappealing commuter passageways.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated that his department, in collaboration with Amtrak, the federally chartered railroad company that owns the central Manhattan station, could transform Penn Station into a world-class facility. He indicated the withdrawal of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) from its leading role in the project, citing the need for a new approach due to the MTA’s history of inefficiency and mismanagement.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul praised the federal decision as a significant win for residents, emphasizing the potential savings in tax dollars. Hochul also noted that she had requested federal funding and expressed gratitude towards President Trump and Secretary Duffy for undertaking the responsibility to deliver a state-of-the-art station that New Yorkers deserve.
Janno Lieber, Chair and CEO of the MTA, expressed his support for the federal government’s involvement, anticipating that the MTA would still play a role in the project as the primary leaseholder of the station. Meanwhile, Duffy has been at odds with the transit agency over issues such as subway crime and the $9 congestion charge imposed on drivers entering heavily trafficked areas of Manhattan. Federal authorities have set a deadline for Sunday to conclude these congestion tolls.
