They will offer access from Metro-North to Penn Station via the New Haven Line, connecting Manhattan, East Bronx, Westchester and Connecticut
New York
Governor Kathy Hochul announced the groundbreaking of the Metro-North Penn Station access project Friday, along with leaders from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority during a ceremony in the Bronx.
With four new stations in the Bronx, this project will bring rail service within a mile of 500,000 residents and will be the largest expansion for Metro-North Railroad since its founding in 1983.
By offering service to and from Manhattan, Westchester and Connecticut, it will expand access to jobs, education and entertainment for communities in the East Bronx. In addition, the project will greatly reduce travel times, provide reverse commuting opportunities, and provide a second critical route to Manhattan for the first time via Metro-North.
“We are bringing modern, safe, and reliable public transportation to East Bronx communities and more economic opportunity for New Yorkers,” the governor said.
“In partnership with Senator Schumer, Congressmen Torres, Congressmen Ocasio-Cortez and Jamal Bowman, and Amtrak, Penn Station Access will not only dramatically reduce travel times, but will also help connect hundreds of thousands of residents and boost economies local. I am grateful for the MTA’s partnership in getting this project off the ground, and I look forward to seeing the project completed to help ensure that all New Yorkers have the access to modern public transportation they deserve,” Hochul said.
Metro-North Railroad President and Long Island Rail Road Interim President Catherine Rinaldi said, “Grand Central Madison is bringing the LIRR, Metro-North and the subway together under one roof for the first time. Bringing Metro-North service to Penn Station will connect the subway, LIRR, NJ Transit, PATH and Amtrak, which offer regional connections unlike anywhere else in the country, and will redefine transit in all three states.”
THE DATA
- The four new stations will be in Hunts Point, Parkchester/Van Nest, Morris Park and Co-Op City and will be accessible to all in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
- The expansion will use Amtrak’s Hell Gate Line to access Penn Station, optimizing existing infrastructure and minimizing the impact of construction on surrounding communities.
- Metro-North trains stopping at the four new Bronx stations will serve as an extension of the New Haven Line from the New Rochelle station, offering transit options in the East Bronx to midtown Manhattan, as well as points in Westchester , Connecticut and vice versa.
Posted on December 08, 2022
