By Connor Hart
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority will no longer lead the renovation of Pennsylvania Station in New York, the head of the federal Transportation Department said Thursday.
Amtrak will spearhead the project, with additional backing from the DOT, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said. The Federal Railroad Administration would also rescope and slash its federal grant to Amtrak for project development, a move it said would save taxpayers about $120 million.
The new strategy, developed under the Trump administration, prioritizes fiscal responsibility and private sector expertise, the DOT said. The new approach would also drive efficiencies, reduce costs and be completed faster than traditional government-led projects, it added.
The administration's vision for the Penn Station renovation project wasn't immediately clear. Amtrak didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
Plans to redevelop Penn Station have ebbed and flowed for decades, since the original station was torn down to make way for the Madison Square Garden arena. The MTA in November 2024 was awarded a $72 million grant intended for project development related to station reconstruction alone.
The recent reshuffling is the latest match-up between the Trump administration and New York's transportation agency, after Duffy earlier called on the state to end its congestion-pricing program.
Write to Connor Hart at connor.hart@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
April 17, 2025 18:58 ET (22:58 GMT)
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