There are a number of significant issues missing from Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s recent announcement of the $1.6 billion Penn Station Improvements Project.
Besides 260,000 daily Long Island Rail Road riders, there are almost 100,000 New Jersey Transit commuters who also use Penn Station.
Why no reference to New Jersey Transit riders?
Why no reference to New York City or the New York City Department of Transportation?
Clearly there is a need to coordinate with both and New York City DOT in dealing with both pedestrian, auto, bus and commercial traffic on the street level in and around Penn Station.
What are the specific funding sources totaling $425 million for Amtrak, LIRR, Port Authority of New York & New Jersey and federal governments financial contributions toward the $1.6 billion cost?
Will the MTA 2015-2019 Five Year Capital Plan have to be amended to add additional dollars for the LIRR contribution?
Will the PANYNJ have to amend its own Capital Program for their contribution?
Are the federal government funds coming from U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration or Federal Rail Road Administration?
Have they been authorized and appropriated by Congress?
If so, who is applying for the funding? The Empire State Development Corporation is counting on the sale of air rights over the Farley Building as the source for its $570 million contribution.
Suppose the sale generates less than anticipated. How would they make up the shortfall?
What is the $1.6 billion cost estimate based on?
Has the environmental review process been completed? Has any preliminary or final design been completed?
This is necessary to validate any engineers cost estimate prior to bidding out any construction contracts. There is no detailed project schedule shared with the public to justify the promised December 2020 completion date.
The project still fails to add any new track or platform capacity for Amtrak, New Jersey Transit, Long Island Rail Road or future Metro North Rail Road service.
These improvements are necessary to accommodate thousands of new riders and run additional trains during peak AM & PM rush hours.
Creation of a new station, ticket office and renovated platforms below the Farley Building between 8th Avenue and 9th Avenue sounds great on paper.
It will only benefit a minority of LIRR riders whose destinations are west of 8th Avenue or utilize the 8th Avenue A, C and E subways.
An overwhelming majority of riders exit to destinations east of 7th Avenue.
This includes using the 1,2 & 3 subways (some transferring at Times Square for either the shuttle or No. 7 subway to access Grand Central Terminal) or walking to Herald Square (to access the B,D.F,N,R,Q & future W subway lines or PATH).
LIRR trains arriving and departing from platform space farther west in Penn Station will result in longer walks for a majority of riders coming east of 7th Avenue.
Cuomo is probably unaware of the original $200 million dollar Penn Station Improvement project in the early 1990s.
Funding was provided by the U.S. DOT Urban Mass Transportation Administration (today’s Federal Transit Administration).
These funds were used to upgrade the 7th Avenue ticket office, open a new entrance on 34th Street just west of 7th Avenue and renovate the main concourse connecting 7th Avenue and 8th Avenue. Work was completed in 1994.
Also missing is a key low-cost option that could benefit tens of thousands of riders.
Until the 1970s, both LIRR and NJ Transit riders exiting east at Penn Station had a direct underground passageway known as the Hilton Corridor. It was also known as the Gimbel’s passageway.
This provided a simple indoor connection to the 34th Street Herald Square B,D,F & M and N,R,Q & (W starting soon) subway, along with Port Authority Trans Hudson (PATH) station complex.
It could be rebuilt in several years for $150 million versus $10.8 billion (perhaps up to $12 billion based upon the amended U.S. DOT FTA Full Funding Grant Agreement with the MTA for MTA LIRR Eastside Access to Grand Central Terminal.
Reopening this passageway would provide improved access to midtown east several years prior to MTA LIRR Eastside Access.
Current project schedule calls for service to begin in December 2023 (new FFGA date).
Don’t be surprised when MTA announces yet another round of delays and new recovery schedule.
This could result in LIRR service to Grand Central Terminal starting in 2024.
Larry Penner
Great Neck
(Larry Penner is a transportation historian and advocate who previously worked 31 years for the US Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration Region 2 NY Office).
