City Club of New York Urges Tri-State Pilot Council to Ensure Operational Success & Fiscal Accountability at Penn Station

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 18, 2025

(New York, NY)— The City Club of New York acknowledges the recent federal decision to centralize leadership of the Penn Station reconstruction and expansion project under federal oversight with Amtrak as the lead delivery partner. This move provides a critical opportunity to reset the approach, prioritize fiscal accountability, and ensure this vital national asset is rebuilt effectively.

While unified project management under Amtrak addresses key delivery concerns, the City Club emphasizes that Penn Station’s fundamental challenge lies in coordinating the complex, interwoven operations of three major independent railroads: Amtrak, NJ TRANSIT, and the MTA (LIRR/Metro-North). Successfully modernizing Penn Station requires not only rebuilt infrastructure but also a structure that ensures seamless operational integration.

“Secretary Duffy’s focus on taxpayer value and ending inefficiency at Penn Station is exactly right. True reform, however, demands more than streamlined construction management; it requires a framework for unified rail operations,” said Liam Blank, Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Chair at the City Club. “The logical next step is for New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, with federal support, to establish a Tri-State Pilot Council. Mandated via the revised federal grant conditions, this council’s first task must be overseeing a thorough, two-year, limited pilot of through-running service. This allows us to test integrated operations directly.”

Through-running – allowing trains to pass through Penn Station rather than terminating – is a proven strategy used at major rail hubs globally like London, Paris, and Berlin to significantly increase capacity, enhance connectivity, and improve reliability within existing station footprints.

“This pilot is about smart investment and due diligence before final decisions are made on Penn Station’s ultimate configuration, which the federal government now intends to combine under a single grant,” added Layla Law-Gisiko, City Club President. “It's about testing integrated governance and gathering the crucial real-world data needed to determine the most efficient and effective way to operate the station. Federal leadership creates the opening; now the region's states and agencies must collaborate through this proposed Council to ensure these multi-billion-dollar federal and state investments are guided by proven operational strategies that deliver the best results for riders and taxpayers.”

Next Steps: Beginning next week, The City Club of New York will begin briefing Congressional offices and state legislative leaders. We will call on the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to condition revised Penn Station capital funding on the prompt establishment of a Tri-State Pilot Council—tasked with evaluating the viability of through-running via a dedicated demonstration, commonly referred to as a pilot service. The City Club believes this targeted, data-driven approach grounded in operational analysis and collaborative governance under federal leadership—offers the most fiscally responsible and strategically sound path toward delivering a Penn Station worthy of the nation.

Media Contact:

Liam Blank – 401-829-5991 – liam@liambank.com

Layla Law-Gisiko – 646-420-6044 – laylademay@gmail.com

Founded in 1892, The City Club of New York advocates for sound urban planning, resilient infrastructure, and transparent governance to improve the lives of all New Yorkers. Contact: cityclubny@gmail.com