By SÍLE MOLONEY

 

Metro North
Photo by Ryan Schmelzer via Flickr

Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson issued a statement on Tuesday, Oct. 28, further to the announcement on Monday, Oct. 27, of another delay to the Metro-North Penn Access Project [which reportedly stems from disputes with Amtrak and the federal government over funding].

 

“[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.

 

“The Penn Station Access project is a transformative project for our borough that will finally provide our East Bronx residents in Co-op City, Hunts Point, Morris Park, and Parkchester with access to fast and reliable transportation with a direct connection to Penn Station, Manhattan`s West Side, Westchester, and Connecticut,” the borough president added.

 

“This project is essential for working families, for regional mobility, and for economic growth that will connect communities in historic transit deserts with reliable public transportation options.”

 

She continued, “Yet despite its critical importance, Penn Station Access has now been delayed for a third time, with the latest delay pushing the completion of this project to as late as 2030.

 

She added, “I stand with my colleagues in government in demanding that Amtrak work with the MTA to uphold its contractual obligations and ensure this project moves forward without further delay. Amtrak’s continued lack of good-faith cooperation will not be tolerated, and the residents of The Bronx, New York City, Westchester, and Connecticut deserve better.”

 

During the press conference marking the official opening of the new elevators at Mosholu Parkway subway station in Norwood in early September, Norwood News had specifically asked MTA CEO and Chair Janno Lieber about this point 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. Read his response here.

 

As reported, NYC Department of City Planning voted in favor of the Bronx Metro-North Station Area Plan which, as previously reported, 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.

 

As reported previously, according to City officials, the new Metro-North stations, expected to open in 2027, are planned to connect East Bronx residents to opportunities across the borough and region while reducing car usage.

 

The approved plan encompasses several components aimed at transforming the 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.

 

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.