MTA Metro-North renews study of Penn Station access

MTA Metro-North Railroad is streamlining its study of how best to provide direct train service from its New Haven and Hudson lines into Penn Station in New York City via the east Bronx and Manhattan's West Side. An environmental review began a decade ago with the intent of developing a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for a "Preferred Alternative" pursuant to the National Environmental Protection Act. Through two screening processes, an initial list of 22 service alternatives was narrowed to four "Build" alternatives, two alternatives for Hudson Line service to Penn Station and two alternatives for New Haven Line service to Penn Station.

For each line, one
alternative would have provided service in all time periods and included the
construction of new stations in New York City in areas not currently served by
regional rail service.

The second alternative
involved providing service only during off-peak and weekend periods with no new
stations. While still under consideration for implementation, the off-peak and
weekend service alternatives will no longer be included in the federal
environmental review. It was determined that the off-peak and weekend services,
without new stations, could be implemented using existing equipment and
infrastructure without the need for federal funding.

In consultation with the
Federal Transit Administration, Metro-North has decided to progress both the
full-service Hudson and New Haven Line alternatives as one proposed
"Build" alternative including: Hudson Line Service to Penn Station
during all time periods via Amtrak’s Empire Connection with two new stations on
Manhattan’s west side in the vicinity of West 125th and the Upper West Side;
and New Haven Line Service to Penn Station during all time periods via the Hell
Gate Line with three new stations in the eastern Bronx in the vicinity of Co-op
City, Parkchester, and Hunts Point.

Analyses performed to
date on this alternative reveal no significant impacts that cannot be
mitigated. Therefore, Metro-North has decided to prepare an Environmental
Assessment, which is expected to be complete in 2011, rather than an EIS. Metro-North’s EA will
incorporate data now being gathered about the best long range uses of Penn Station
by MTA Long Island Rail Road, New Jersey Transit, Amtrak, which owns the
station, and MTA Metro-North Railroad.