The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is moving forward with plans to restore intercity passenger rail service between Scranton and New York Penn Station, marking a significant milestone for one of just five rail corridor projects nationwide to reach this stage of federal approval.
PennDOT will host a virtual public meeting at 4 p.m. Feb. 19 to present route options and potential station locations for the approximately 140-mile corridor.
Residents can register in advance at the Advancing PA Rail project website to receive a meeting invite and webinar link. A recording will remain available on the website for at least 60 days.
“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. “The department continues aggressively improving roads and bridges while investing every possible state and federal dollar into passenger rail services across the Commonwealth.”
The proposed service would offer three daily round trips along a route that last carried passengers in 1970 as part of the Erie Lackawanna Railroad. Potential intermediate stops include East Stroudsburg and Mt. Pocono in Pennsylvania, and Blairstown, Dover, Montclair, Morristown, and Newark in New Jersey.
The project received funding through the Federal Railroad Administration’s Corridor Identification and Development program, established under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The Service Development Plan carries an estimated cost of $5.46 million, with the federal government covering 90% and PennDOT matching 10%. The initial scope received $118,000 in full federal funding.
PennDOT leads the effort, with Amtrak serving as the proposed operator. Project partners include the Pennsylvania Northeast Regional Rail Authority, New Jersey Department of Transportation, New Jersey Transit, and Amtrak, which own different segments of the route.
While the entire right-of-way remains intact, restoration will require work. The majority of the corridor sees active use by various public rail operators for freight and commuter service.
However, one mile of track south of Slateford Junction requires reconstruction, and 20 miles between the Delaware River and Andover, New Jersey, need restoration. New Jersey Transit is already reconstructing about seven miles of track at the eastern end to extend commuter service from Port Morris to Andover.
Studies, including the 2021 Amtrak Connects US Corridor Vision Plan, identified growing demand for intercity passenger rail along the corridor, which experiences heavy auto traffic and unpredictable travel times.
Once the Service Development Plan receives federal approval, identified projects will advance to preliminary engineering and environmental review in coordination with the Federal Railroad Administration.