Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced Thursday that the federal government has taken control of the renovations to Penn Station that were headed by New York City’s transit authority.
Duffy said the Department of Transportation and Amtrak will head the project. He added that a federal grant directed for the train company will be slashed and “rescoped,” resulting in $120 million in savings.
He also suggested that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority couldn’t be trusted with the project.
“New York City deserves a Penn Station that reflects America’s greatness and is safe and clean,” he said in a statement. “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.”
It’s unclear how the federal government taking control of the plan will change the critical transit hub’s final appearance, but the new design would emphasize “classical architectural heritage” that would “ennoble the United States,” according to an unsigned executive order that the New York Times reviewed.
President Donald Trump has long shown interest in revitalizing Penn Station. In November, he took part in a call with Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) and expressed his interest in making the station “beautiful” again.
Hochul and the MTA are pleased that the Trump administration is stepping in despite their past clashes on congestion pricing.
“In multiple meetings with President Trump, I requested that the federal government fund the long-overdue overhaul of Penn Station,” Hochul said 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 dollars that would have otherwise been necessary for this project,” she added.
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MTA Chairman Janno Lieber said he expects that his agency will participate in the renovation of the station and was glad the federal government is focusing on it.
Kris Kolluri, the chief executive of New Jersey Transit, a key provider of trains that run to Penn Station, also expressed his approval: “As one of the largest users of the station, N.J. Transit looks forward to working with U.S. D.O.T. and Amtrak on the Penn Station Reconstruction project.”
The Trump administration’s move to take over the Penn Station renovation is another major move directed at New York transit after Duffy terminated the city’s congestion pricing plan. The city is currently fighting the move in court, arguing the toll is good for the city.
The administration and New York officials recently agreed to pause the dispute until at least midsummer, with congestion pricing in place until at least that time.
