NY: State to fund study of west-of-Hudson commuter rail, bus links

New York state will fund a study looking at ways to improve commuter rail service on the west side of the Hudson River, U.S. Rep. Pat Ryan and Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Monday in a joint statement.

The study will be paid for with funds allocated in the state's 2026 budget and will be carried out by the Department of Transportationand the consulting company ICF International to "address significant transit issues and enhance rider experiences in underserved communities west of the Hudson River," the lawmakers said.

The announcement came one week after legislators in Rockland and Orange counties formally requested state funding to study the possibility of running commuter trains on an existing freight rail line on the river's western shore. While communities west of the Hudsonhave seen population booms in recent decades, that growth has not led to an increase in public transit in the area, forcing many residents to commute by car to Amtrak and Metro-North stations on the east side of the river.

Hochul and Ryan said the study would focus on bus service improvements and expanding connections to existing rail lines and ferries. It will also look at ways to increase transit options to the New York City metropolitan area and reduce travel times and roadway congestion. The study will focus on Orange, Rockland, Sullivan and Ulster counties, looking at connections from those counties to New York City and Dutchess, Putnam and Westchester counties.

"For far too long, residents west of the Hudson have been stuck with exhausting commutes into New York City, unreliable transit options, and a transportation system that simply hasn't kept up with the needs of our growing communities," Ryan said. "This is about taking action to ensure our region finally gets the attention and investment it deserves."

It was not immediately clear how much the study would cost or how long it would take to complete.

The study's first phase will analyze existing transit services in the mid- and lower Hudson Valley and determine traveler demand levels by gathering feedback from riders, transit operators, community organizations and the general public. Ryan will chair an advisory committee of community leaders from the study area to provide guidance and input regularly over the course of the study, his office said.

The transportation department has already begun surveying riders in Ulster and Orange counties about their commutes to New York City, officials said.

Hochul said the study is a result of years of advocacy work by residents who "have asked for better transit connections" to New York City and across the Hudson Valley.

"We know there are gaps in the region's transportation infrastructure," the governor said in a statement. "With this study, we're planning to document what these gaps are, the best methods to fix them, and provide a clear roadmap on how to deliver transportation solutions for Hudson Valley residents."

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