Metro-North Penn Station Access project breaks ground in the Bronx

A groundbreaking ceremony was held for the Metro-North Penn Station Access project in the Bronx on Dec. 9. With four new stations in the Bronx, the project will bring rail service within one mile of 500,000 residents and will be the largest expansion of Metro-North Railroad since it was founded in 1983. By offering rail service to and from Manhattan, Westchester and Connecticut, the project will expand access to jobs, education and entertainment for east Bronx communities. Additionally, the project will greatly reduce travel times, provide reverse commuting opportunities and offer a critical second route into Manhattan for the first time through Metro-North.

"We are bringing modern, safe and reliable public transportation to east Bronx communities and more economic opportunity for New Yorkers," New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said. "In partnership with Sen. Schumer (D- N.Y.), Rep. Ritchie Torres (D- N.Y.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D- N.Y.) and Jamaal Bowman (D- N.Y.) and Amtrak, Penn Station Access will not only drastically reduce commute times, but it will also help connect hundreds of thousands of residents and boost local economies. I'm thankful for MTA's partnership to get this project off the ground, and I look forward to seeing the completed project to help ensure all New Yorkers have access to the modern public transportation they deserve."

The four new stations will be in Hunts Point, Parkchester/Van Nest, Morris Park and Co-Op City and will be accessible to all in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The expansion will use Amtrak's Hell Gate Line to access Penn Station, optimizing existing infrastructure and minimizing the construction impact on surrounding communities. Metro-North trains stopping at the four new Bronx stations will serve as an extension of the New Haven Line from the New Rochelle Station, offering transit options in the East Bronx to Midtown Manhattan, as well as points in Westchester, Connecticut and inversely.

"Penn Station Access is a game changer for a huge and transit-deprived swath of the Bronx,” said Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Chair and CEO Janno Lieber. “500,000 residents live within just a mile of the four new Metro-North stations and many more when you look at the entire service area. This project means dramatically shorter commutes and life-changing access to jobs, education, health care and everything else New York has to offer."

"Grand Central Madison is bringing the [Long Island Rail Road], Metro-North and the subway under one roof for the first time,” said Metro-North Railroad President and Long Island Rail Road Interim President Catherine Rinaldi. “Bringing Metro-North service to Penn Station will connect the subway, LIRR, New Jersey Transit, PATH and Amtrak, offering regional connections unlike anywhere else in the country. The completion of all transportation projects underway will redefine what transit looks like in the Tri-state area and provide essential transportation to communities with limited options. Today, we celebrate a milestone that brings us closer to that reality."

"Penn Station Access will provide transformative benefits to the east Bronx and the entire New York region,” said MTA President of Construction and Development Jamie Torres-Springer. “Taking full advantage of existing infrastructure and applying our best practices from successful projects like LIRR Third Track, MTA Construction & Development will deliver this project better, faster and cheaper."

The infrastructure improvements along the Hell Gate Line will also improve service reliability and on-time performance for Amtrak, who is contributing $500 million toward the project. Amtrak has also agreed to pay the costs of delay if they fail to meet commitments to provide outages or workforce. The total cost of the project is projected at $3.18 billion, following a capital plan amendment announced in July to include additional funding for expansion of the New Rochelle Yard.

"The Penn Station Access project aligns with Amtrak's vision of expanding passenger rail service with new or improved routes in currently underserved areas,” said Amtrak Board Chair Tony Coscia. “By connecting communities, trains help provide access to jobs and economic mobility that combats inequality. We congratulate Gov. Hochul and our partners at MTA for reaching this milestone and thank Sen. Schumer, Congressman Torres and our partners in Congress for their leadership in moving this important project forward."

 Project benefits

Significantly cuts down travel time- East Bronx passengers traveling to Penn Station can save up to 50 minutes each way, and those traveling to Connecticut can save up to 75 minutes. As an example, from the proposed Co-Op City station to Penn Station, it takes about 75 minutes to reach Penn Station. With the completion of Penn Station Access, the travel time is expected to be only about 25 minutes. Current New Haven Line riders with destinations on the west side can save up to 40 minutes per day.

Increase in reverse commuting opportunities- Reverse commuters will be able to more easily travel from Penn Station to Hunts Point, Parkchester/Van Nest, Morris Park, Co-op City, Westchester and southern Connecticut.

Local economy benefits and improved sustainability- Improving access to the East Bronx, Westchester and Connecticut will benefit local educational campuses, medical institutions and retail centers. By greatly reducing travel times, Penn Station Access will make public transit a viable, attractive travel alternative, encouraging drivers to switch to mass transit, reducing traffic congestion and emissions.

Improved regional connections- With the additional options, Bronx residents and those coming from the greater New York City area, Westchester, Connecticut, and the northeast region will be able to more easily reach destinations throughout the northeast, with connections to New Jersey Transit, LIRR, PATH, Amtrak and NYCT subways.

Project details

In addition to four new ADA stations, the project will turn the existing two-track railroad into a largely four-track railroad, with over 19 miles of new and rehabilitated track work. This expansion to a four-track railroad will provide service flexibility to support the increase in Metro-North and Amtrak trains expected to operate through the area and allow for workarounds in the event of a service disruption.

The additional service necessitates an expansion of Metro-North's New Rochelle Yard in Westchester, along with modernization of signal, power and communication infrastructure. This will consist of four new interlockings, five new substations, reconfiguration of the Pelham Bay interlocking and upgrade of two existing substations.

The project also includes rehabilitation work to repair and strengthen the following four bridges to carry additional train traffic: Bronx River Bridge, Eastchester Road Bridge, Bronxdale Avenue Bridge and Pelham Lane Bridge.

Project timeline

In September 2021, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) issued a Finding of No Significant Impact, allowing the project to proceed. On December 29, 2021, the MTA awarded the design-build contract to the joint venture of Halmar International, LLC, and RailWorks Corporation.

One of the first project elements to take place will be the construction of the Leggett interlocking, one of the four new interlockings. The Leggett interlocking will be located south of the proposed Hunts Point Station. Construction of actual passenger rail stations is expected to begin 2024. The anticipated completion date for the Penn Station Access Project is 2027.