Following reports on Monday, Oct. 27, that the Penn Station Access Project will be delayed until 2030 from its original target completion year of 2027, Bronx congressional members, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14) and Rep. Ritchie Torres (NY-15), spearheaded a formal response by way of a letter from members of the New York and Connecticut Democratic congressional delegations to Amtrak President Roger Harris.

 

In the letter dated Oct. 30, the group wrote that they are “deeply concerned” that the Penn Station Access project faces significant delays and urge Amtrak “to take every action needed” to ensure that the MTA Bronx Metro-North Station Area Plan can begin delivering service as soon as possible.

 

In June 2024, NYC Department of City Planning voted in favor of the Bronx Metro-North Station Area Plan, which is a component of the Penn Station Access Project. As previously reported, the plan aims to bring nearly 7,500 new homes, including 1,900 permanently income-restricted units, and 10,000 jobs to areas around four new Metro-North stations planned for the East Bronx neighborhoods of Parkchester/Van Nest, Morris Park, Hunts Point, and Co-op City.

 

In addition to Ocasio-Cortez, who represents parts of The Bronx and Queens, and Torres, whose district stretches from the northwest of the borough to the South Bronx, Rep. Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), who represents much of the West Bronx and Northern Manhattan, Rep. Dan Goldman (NY-10), who represents parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn, Rep. Jim Himes (CT-04), who represents parts of Connecticut, Rep. Tim Kennedy (NY-26), who represents parts of Western New York State, Rep. George Latimer (NY-16), who represents parts of Westchester County and the north Bronx, Rep. Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), who represents parts of Manhattan, and Rep. Nydia Velázquez (NY-07), who represents parts of Brooklyn, also signed on to the letter.

 

“The Penn Station Access project is a critical transportation project for the entire New York region,” the group wrote. “In the East Bronx, it will finally deliver mass transit access to neighborhoods that have seen passenger trains speed through without stopping for nearly a century.”

 

They said in Westchester and Connecticut, the project will provide access to Penn Station and Manhattan’s West Side, saving commuters significant time. “We were thrilled when the MTA and Amtrak agreed to proceed with this project and have advocated for it every step of the way, including supporting the Fed-State Partnership grant that was awarded in 2024,” they wrote.

The letter continued, “We know that delivering a construction project of this magnitude is complex, especially when it means rebuilding century-old Northeast Corridor infrastructure while maintaining intercity service, but progress has been too slow. We understand from the MTA’s October 27 Board briefing that the project’s schedule is at serious risk, mainly due to Amtrak’s failure to support the project from the beginning, including failing to provide necessary outages, field support staff, and general cooperation with the MTA.”

 

The letter concluded, “Amtrak must take decisive action to mitigate these delays and ensure that the project can accelerate its work and make up for lost time. The MTA has outlined a plan to get the project back on track and to enable service to begin by the end of 2027. We strongly support this plan and urge Amtrak to work together with the MTA to achieve it and deliver for our constituents. Thank you for your time, and we look forward to your response.”

 

As reported, Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson had issued a statement on Tuesday, Oct. 28, further to Monday’s announcement of yet another delay to the project.

 

“[It] is unacceptable and represents a failure by Amtrak to meet its obligations to the MTA, to the taxpayers funding these improvements, and to the communities that have waited far too long for reliable, equitable access to mass transit,” Gibson said in part. Read her full statement here.

During the press conference marking the official opening of new elevators at Mosholu Parkway subway station in Norwood in early September, Norwood News had specifically asked MTA CEO and Chair Janno Lieber about rumors of a further delay and a July letter in which Democratic Rep. George Latimer (NY-16) cited that U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2026 cut Amtrak’s budget by 25%, and that any subsequent delay could have compounding consequences for the future of the project.

 

Lieber had said at the time that residents of the East Bronx had been long waiting for trains on the Hellgate line to stop in The Bronx. “Problem is it’s Amtrak’s right of way, and we can only get work done if Amtrak gives us the outages and provides the flaggers and the other personnel to make it possible,” he said at the time, adding, “We’re working on it – more to follow.”

 

As reported, State officials said in December 2021, when the contract was awarded to Halmar International, that Amtrak had also agreed to pay the costs of delay if they failed to meet commitments to provide outages or workforce.

 

As reported, according to City officials, the new Metro-North stations are planned to connect East Bronx residents to opportunities across the borough and region while reducing car usage.

The approved Bronx Metro-North Station Area Plan encompasses several components aimed at transforming the Bronx neighborhoods surrounding the new stations. According to City officials, the plan will allow for residential development in sections of Parkchester/Van Nest that are currently restricted to commercial and manufacturing uses, while also increasing permitted residential density in parts of Parkchester/Van Nest and Morris Park.

 

Additionally, they said the plan will strengthen commercial corridors and support major institutions, like hospitals, to stimulate job growth in the area. City officials said the plan also explores the possibility of establishing a new STEAM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) high school, and includes infrastructure and public space improvements around the new stations.

 

Officials said the project will also improve regional transportation connectivity, enhance network resiliency by providing a second Metro-North terminal in Manhattan, promote sustainability and bridge communities. By using Amtrak’s existing Hell Gate Line, they said the project will maximize the potential of existing infrastructure, while minimizing impacts on the community.

 

In other MTA-related news, on Oct. 22, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that Metro-North plans to add a new round-trip train between Grand Central and Albany on the Hudson line, with additional stops at Rhinecliff, Hudson, and Albany. Planning is currently underway with an anticipated launch in Spring 2026.

 

Officials said it marks the first time Metro-North runs a service between New York City and the Capital Region. Norwood News has asked the MTA if a stop in The Bronx would be considered, and officials said they’re looking into it.