The plan to provide Metro-North rail service into Penn Station in addition to the current links to Grand Central station took a leap forward this afternoon with the announcement by Gov. Kathy Hochul that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has approved a design-build contract for the Penn Station Access Project.
The contract will be awarded to Halmar International, LLC/RailWorks, J.V.
The project is intended to use Amtrak’s existing Hell Gate Line to bring Metro-North trains into Queens where they”™ll proceed through an East River tunnel and under Manhattan into Penn Station.
Improvements will be made to the Hell Gate Line with Amtrak contributing $500 million toward the $2.87 billion project.
In addition to four new stations in the Bronx, the project will include four bridge rehabilitations, the reconfiguration of Metro-North’s New Rochelle Yard, four new and one reconfigured switching areas, five new and two upgraded substations, and the modernization of signal, power and communication infrastructure. The four new stations on Metro-North in the Bronx will be at Co-Op City, Morris Park, Parkchester/Van Nest and Hunts Point.
The current project construction schedule is estimated at 63 months. It is estimated the project will create or retain approximately 4,500 direct jobs and another 10,000 indirect jobs.
Hochul”™s announcement of the contract included a comment from Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont.
“Improved service on our rail system, with an eye on the future, means a transportation system that works for everyone when it comes to quality of life and economic development for residents and businesses in Connecticut and New York,” Lamont said. “It means more transit-oriented development, more people out and about, and more opportunities for tens of thousands of people to get to their jobs every day and earn a living. This is the latest joint venture between Connecticut and New York showing how important our relationship is for our residents and the success of the region.”
Westchester County Executive George Latimer said, “This vital step in the Penn Station Access project’s timeline is a win for Westchester’s residents who live along the Sound Shore. The creation of a one-seat ride into Penn Station, opening up greater access to jobs, education and health care for the first time ever, will improve commutes and raise Westchester home values in the process.”
Catherine Rinaldi, president of Metro-North, called access to Penn Station “completely transformative for Metro-North and we are excited to begin the service upon completion of the project. This will be the railroad’s largest expansion in history.”
