Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Wednesday is expected to unveil a timeline and a detailed account for the $7 billion redevelopment of Penn Station in Manhattan, CBS News reported.
Duffy boarded a train in Washington, D.C., after announcing the Trump administration's move to take back control of Union Station. He's expected to next discuss the details of the Penn Station rebuild at an afternoon press conference in New York.
The New York Daily News reported Wednesday that the Department of Transportation expects to have shovels in the ground on the rebuild by the end of 2027.
"I know there's been a lot of talk about it for decades — a lot of different plans," Deputy Secretary of Transportation Steven Bradbury told the Daily News on Tuesday. "But we're really committed, with the backing of the president and the full attention of [Duffy], to prioritize this project."
Duffy announced in April that the Federal Railroad Administration was taking control of the Penn Station reconstruction away from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), a move he said would save taxpayers $120 million by shifting the project toward a public-private partnership.
Since its 1960s demolition, the current Penn Station has struggled under overwhelming passenger loads — serving more than 600,000 daily passengers — far beyond what it was designed to handle. The erection of Madison Square Garden above created significant structural and design limitations, complicating any deep renovations.
The opening of Moynihan Train Hall in January 2021 — inside the historic Farley Post Office — offered a bright, spacious alternative for many Amtrak and Long Island Rail Road riders, though it did little to reduce the pressure on the underground Penn Station interior.
DOT's redevelopment plan includes a new commuter train hall, a new open concourse and new green space for the neighborhood, according to CBS News. It's unclear if Madison Square Garden will have to be relocated.
Duffy will be joined at the press conference by former New York City Transit chief Andy Byford, who will oversee the project.
"I would not have taken this on if I didn't think it was possible," Byford told the Daily News.
"I'm talking about top-to-bottom transformation of every aspect of Penn Station," he said. "Let's see what more capacity we can squeeze out of the existing station within the existing footprint by better utilization of the track and by exploring the potential for through-running."
Mark Swanson ✉
Mark Swanson, a Newsmax writer and editor, has nearly three decades of experience covering news, culture and politics.
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