The state Department of Transportation will host an online public meeting on Feb. 19 on the long-sought restoration of passenger rail service between Scranton and New York City.
The project proposes to have Amtrak passenger trains run between Scranton and Manhattan’s Penn Station with stops in Mount Pocono and East Stroudsburg in Pennsylvania, and Blairstown, Dover, Morristown, Montclair and Newark in New Jersey. It would mark the return of passenger rail service between Scranton and NYC for the first time since 1970 and generate $84 million in new economic activity annually, per an Amtrak study released in March 2023.
PennDOT will host a virtual public meeting webinar on the project on Feb. 19 at 4 p.m., as part of PennDOT’s service development plan.
To join the webinar, register in advance at the project website Advancing PA Rail — advancingparail.com/projects/scranton-to-new-york-city-corridor-id/ — to receive a meeting invite and webinar link. The recording of the webinar will be available for viewing on the project website for at least 60 days following the meeting.
During the webinar, an overview of the Scranton to New York Rail initiative, a summary of the route options, and locations for potential stations will be presented. Public comments can be provided during the meeting or through the project website.
“The Shapiro Administration has been full steam ahead to advance this project that would be transformative for the northeastern region’s economy and mobility,” PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll said in a statement. “The department continues aggressively improving roads and bridges while investing every possible state and federal dollar into passenger rail services across the Commonwealth.”