Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced Thursday he was removing MTA from leading the Penn Station reconstruction project in New York City and putting Amtrak in charge, a move he said will save $120 million in taxpayer money.
The agency said it made sense to make Amtrak the project leader because it owns Penn Station, which serves more than 10 million riders on the railroad annually, and there was “no reason to delegate leadership of this important project” to MTA.
MTA was awarded a $72 million Federal-State Partnership Program grant in November 2024 to reconstruct the station. The new arrangement will enable Amtrak to pursue a master developer to examine reconstruction and potential expansion of the station.
“New York City deserves a Penn Station that reflects America’s greatness and is safe and clean,” Duffy said. “The MTA’s history of inefficiency, waste, and mismanagement also meant that a new approach is needed. By putting taxpayers first, we’re ensuring every dollar is spent wisely to create a transit hub all Americans can take pride in.”
