The long-anticipated Penn Access project, designed to extend Metro-North Railroad service to Penn Station and build four new stations in the Bronx, has hit a sizable roadblock. The initiative, originally scheduled for completion in 2027, is now staring down an extension to at least 2030. MTA officials, in a recent statement, have pointed fingers at Amtrak for the delay, citing inadequate track closures and low support staff turnout as core issues impeding progress.
At a capital program committee meeting yesterday, MTA construction chief Jamie Torres-Springer stated that "On Penn Access, we’re working on Amtrak territory, which requires cooperation by Amtrak, which it has struggled to deliver," as mentioned onn Gothamist. The situation is exacerbated, by contractual disagreements, with the MTA claiming Amtrak has failed to provide the agreed minimum of 30 service outages per year, notes NY1. In the first two years of the deal, only seven outages were delivered, falling significantly short of the requirements to keep the project on track.
Despite the setbacks, MTA has proposed an interim solution that aims to open three of the four planned stations by the initial 2027 completion date. This alternative arrangement would leverage two existing tracks and establish service to and from the new, permanent station at Parkchester/Van Nest, as well as temporary stations at Co-Op City and Morris Park. According to Gothamist, this revised plan is predicated on Amtrak's approval and cooperation, which has been a point of contention thus far.
Amtrak, for their part, insists they have made significant investments in the project. "We remain committed to this critical project, and being good stewards of taxpayer investment for Amtrak, MTA customers, New York residents, and travelers," said Amtrak spokesperson Jason Abrams on Gothamist. The national rail line has invested $140 million and dedicated considerable staffing towards the initiative, even as disagreements over the fulfillment of contractual obligations persist, according to details released in the MTA's public correspondence with Amtrak.
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