Trump Station? Feds take control of Penn Station rebuild, kick MTA off the project
tephen Nessen, Ramsey Khalifeh Published Apr 17, 20251/2
President Donald Trump is taking over the reconstruction of Penn Station and kicking the MTA off the project, federal transportation officials announced Thursday.
The move was laid out in a letter to MTA Chair Janno Lieber from Federal Railroad Administration Chief Counsel Kyle Fields, who said the work will instead be overseen by Amtrak, which owns Penn Station.“There is no reason to delegate leadership of this important project,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy wrote in a statement.
“President Trump has made it clear: the days of reckless spending and blank checks are over,” Duffy wrote.“New York City deserves a Penn Station that reflects America’s greatness and is safe and clean. The MTA’s history of inefficiency, waste and mismanagement also meant that a new approach is needed. By putting taxpayers first, we’re ensuring every dollar is spent wisely to create a transit hub all Americans can take pride in.”
The MTA has for years planned to reconstruct Penn Station without relocating Madison Square Garden, which sits above the rail hub. The agency has also worked with Amtrak and NJ Transit on a controversial plan to expand the station, which would allow for more passenger train service in and out of Manhattan.
Now, the feds want to combine both projects.“The necessary planning for reconstruction and expansion of Penn Station will be conducted under a single grant, led by Amtrak,” Fields’ letter states.
The move will allow Amtrak and the federal government to pursuea developer for the reconstruction and potential expansion of the station. Gov. Kathy Hochul said the move takes the reconstruction off New York's plate and puts it squarely in Trump's lap. (she will try to take credit)
“In multiple meetings with President Trump, I requested that the federal government fund the long-overdue overhaul of Penn Station," Hochul wrote in a statement. "Clearly that effort has been successful, and I want to thank the president and Secretary Duffy for taking on the sole responsibility to deliver the beautiful new $7 billion station that New Yorkers deserve. This is a major victory for New Yorkers, and the use of federal funds will save New York taxpayers $1.3 billion that would have otherwise been necessary for this project.”
MTA Chair Janno Lieber in a statement noted the MTA is "the major leaseholder in the station" and said he expects the agency "to participate in the administration’s and Amtrak’s efforts to ensure future plans meet the needs of everyone who uses it.”
Tom Wright, president of the Regional Plan Association, said he would support the federal takeover of the project if it meant the work could actually advance after years of delays.
“This isn't a surprise to those of us who've been following this for a couple years now,” said Tom Wright, president of the Regional Plan Association.
“The MTA had real success with the renovation of the Long Island Rail Road concourse, but things haven't been moving forward lately… from my perspective, Penn Station is owned by Amtrak, the federal government, and it makes sense for them to be leading the renovation plans.”
https://gothamist.com/news/trump-station-feds-take-control-of-penn-station-rebuild-kick-mta-off-the-project