Metro-North To Run Line For Long Island, Westchester, Penn Sta.

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY — An underused rail line in the east Bronx could become Metro-North Railroad's newest line. It would also become a transit link between Westchester, Long Island, Boston and Washington, D.C.

The new commuter line would run between New Rochelle and Penn Station instead of Grand Central, Metro-North's home terminal. Four new train stations, at Hunt's Point, Parkchester/Van Nest, Morris Park and Co-op City, would be built on the line.

"Too many residents of the Bronx have been without reliable transit, which is why I proposed these new stations," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in the announcement. "With a reconstructed Moynihan Station currently underway, these four stations not only will connect the east Bronx to Manhattan's West Side, but also build upon our ongoing efforts to fully transform our state's transportation infrastructure."

The plan is a collaboration among the MTA, Empire State Development and Amtrak. It has been in the works for a while, with negotiations about cost, fees, access and shared use.

"After months of making the case for this project with my partners in State and Local government in Westchester and the Bronx, today’s long-awaited move is welcome news to Westchester County residents," said County Executive George Latimer. "For those who live in Westchester along the Sound Shore and commute to the Bronx or parts of Manhattan for work and for businesses here in Westchester whose workforce commutes from the Bronx, this agreement between Amtrak and the MTA is a major victory with the creation of a one-seat ride into Penn Station from Westchester for the first time ever. This agreement makes these communities even more attractive to live in and raising property values in the process.”

In addition to dramatically reducing commute times of East Bronx residents, bringing Metro-North trains to Penn Station would substantially expand the labor pool for employers in the east Bronx, such as the medical complexes in the Morris Park area, and also provide commuting opportunities for Bronx residents to work in Westchester County and Connecticut, Cuomo said.

As part of their agreement, Amtrak and MTA would jointly study the feasibility of Amtrak running several trains daily from Long Island to Penn Station and continuing either north to Boston or south to Washington.

The new service would bring Metro-North trains from New Rochelle, across Pelham Bay, to Co-op City through the east Bronx and over the historic Hell Gate Bridge into Queens, where they would merge with the Long Island Railroad's route, proceeding through the East River tunnels into Manhattan and west to Penn Station.

New Rochelle's Mayor Noam Bramson said that Penn Access is vital to the economy, environment and security of the region.

"It will help foster job growth and transit-oriented development throughout the Bronx and Westchester, while also reducing travel times for commuters and providing New Yorkers with a more resilient transportation system in the event of emergencies," he said.

"For New Rochelle, it is a potential game changer, giving us the closest station to Manhattan with direct access to the east and west sides" Bramson said.

In addition to the new stations, the project includes new tracks and switches, as well as power, signal, communication and infrastructure upgrades.

“Opening up easy rail access between Westchester County and Manhattan’s West Side will be a game changer for economic and community development in the county,” said Marsha Gordon, President and CEO of The Business Council of Westchester. “New opportunities for commuting provide mobility and accessibility for businesses, and increased access opens up new routes for talent to access Westchester’s growing businesses. In addition, this new West Side access will make the new multi-residential communities being built in our urban centers even more attractive for those who want to live in Westchester County and still have access to all areas New York City. This is tremendous news for commuters, businesses and residents of Westchester County.”

During a meeting of the MTA Board's Metro-North Committee Tuesday morning, the committee approved the $35 million contract with HNTB New York Engineering and Architecture for preliminary engineering and design of the project, known as Metro-North's Penn Station Access project. The full MTA Board will consider the contract on Thursday. The MTA Board's action is contingent on a similar approval by the Amtrak Board.

The MTA's 2015-2019 Capital Program contains the initial investment of $695 million towards the project, including $250 million in State resources to be provided through ESD. The MTA is seeking additional funding for the project in the 2020-2024 Capital Program to complete the project.

Image: Historic Hell Gate Bridge/ via Shutterstock