(The Center Square) — New York’s iconic Penn Station will be renovated after the Trump administration pledged $8 billion for the massive project and announced plans not to relocate Madison Square Garden for the project.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced Wednesday that the federal government and Amtrak have selected a group called Penn Transformation Partners as the “master developer” to oversee the redesign and reconstruction of the station, which has long been criticized as an eyesore for the millions of commuters who pass through it every day.
Duffy said DOT’s plans call for building “a brand-new, world-class station that will provide daily commuters and tourists with a more seamless travel experience through a vibrant gateway into America’s largest city” and said the project is finally moving forward after years of inaction.
“We took over the transformation of New York Penn Station because the project was behind schedule, over budget, and hopelessly mismanaged,” Duffy said in a statement. “One year later, we continue to hit major milestones at record speed. Under President Trump’s historic leadership, the days of Penn Station’s cramped hallways, broken infrastructure, and snarled rail lines are numbered.”
Duffy told lawmakers Tuesday that the Trump administration plans to put up $8 billion for the rebuild of the station as part of long-term upgrades to Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor rail system.
Duffy also said the Federal Railroad Administration will spend $200 million on “critical design and permitting work” on Penn Station ahead of construction on the new facility. The design does not include moving Madison Square Garden, which was previously being considered, DOT said.
The Trump administration took over the redesign of Penn Station last year from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which was planning to renovate the above-ground portion of the building while Amtrak redesigned the station’s train tracks. The feds said New York had mismanaged the project, a claim the state’s transit officials disputed.
“The plan that we were working on with NJ Transit and Amtrak before the Trump administration took over Penn Station for themselves and Amtrak was a lot cheaper than that,” MTA Chairman Janno Lieber said Wednesday. “Nevertheless, I’d say it’s great news that the Trump administration has decided they want to give that many billion dollars to renovate Penn Station.”
Penn Station is one of the major gateways to New York City, with more than 1,000 daily trains along 21 tracks, according to Amtrak figures. More than 200,000 commuter and other passenger trips pass through the station each day.
Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul, who withdrew $1.3 billion in state funding for the project after the DOT took it over, touted that the renovation project is finally moving forward but said she plans “thoroughly review” the proposal.
To be successful, this project must accomplish two things: dramatically improve the experience for every rider who passes through Penn Station, from the A train to the Acela, while protecting the record performance of the LIRR and ensuring the costs are not borne by New York commuters or taxpayers. I will accept nothing less.”
