USDOT to make changes for key passenger rail stations in the Northeast
On Aug. 27, U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Secretary Sean Duffy revealed the administration is making major changes to key passenger rail stations in the U.S.
USDOT launches Penn Station Transformation Project
The USDOT has launched the Penn State Transformation Project, with the goal of beginning construction on Penn Station in New York City.
“Crumbling infrastructure, bleak and dirty architecture, unnavigable hallways and no inviting spaces for families with kids, the current state of Penn Station is unacceptable,” Duffy said. “Under President [Donald] Trump’s direction, we will transform Penn Station into a world-class transit hub that is beautiful, safe and clean. The aggressive schedule we’ve outlined will ensure we are back on track to deliver a gleaming monument worthy of New York City.”
In April, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) notified the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Amtrak that the Penn Station Capacity Expansion and Reconstruction project will solely be led by Amtrak under a single grant. In May, Andy Byford was appointed as special advisor to the Amtrak Board of Directors to oversee the redevelopment of New York Penn Station. Byford says his goal is to complete the project as soon as possible.
“The transformation of New York Penn Station is underway, and USDOT and Amtrak are strongly committed to beginning construction by the end of 2027,” Byford noted. “We’re grateful to Secretary Duffy and the entire Department of Transportation, as well as President Trump and his administration, for bringing urgency and clarity to the station’s transformation and their confidence in allowing Amtrak to carry out their vision for a world-class, safe and modern station.”
USDOT has laid out the project timeline in five steps:
- Aug. 27, 2025: Penn State Transformation Project announced
- Fall 2025: Begin contracting industry stakeholder engagement
- Late 2025: Release the Master Developer Solicitation for the project
- May 2026: Make a selection on the Master Developer Solicitation
- Summer 2026 to end of 2027: Preliminary design and National Environmental Policy Act activities
- End of 2027: Begin construction on the project
To help the project get underway, USDOT also awarded Amtrak with nearly $43 million in federal grant funding.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul issued a statement, saying, “One of the first things I raised with President Trump in January was the need to give New York City the beautiful Penn Station it deserves. Those conversations successfully secured federal funding in April to advance redevelopment, allowing us to reallocate over $1 billion for other critical projects. With Secretary Duffy now advancing this project and requesting design proposals, New Yorkers are one step closer to a station worthy of this great city.”
USDOT to reclaim management of Washington Union Station
Along with the launch of the Penn State Transformation Project, USDOT also revealed it is reclaiming management of Washington Union Station. The station has been a USDOT asset since the 1980s.
“Washington’s Union Station has fallen into disrepair,” said USDOT Deputy Secretary Steve Bradbury. “By reclaiming station management, we will help make this city safe and beautiful at a fraction of the cost. President Trump and Secretary Duffy are doing what they do best: making big, beautiful projects come to life. I look forward to working closely with our team at Amtrak and the Union Station Redevelopment Corporation to focus our attention on Union Station and make it a world class transit hub.”
According to USDOT, the station needs improvements to elevators, lighting and security, along with enhancements to the passenger experience and replacing the roof and other major systems. The department anticipates that reinvestment and improved security will dramatically improve the income from the station.
USDOT is renegotiating a cooperative agreement with Amtrak and the Union Station Redevelopment Corporation (USRC), which controlled the parking structure for the station before USDOT announced its intention to reclaim the management of the station. According to USDOT, during the time the USRC controlled the parking structure for the station, the station received little funding to maintain it in a state-of-good-repair, but with Amtrak recently acquiring a sublease from USRC, retail income will now be reinvested back into the station’s infrastructure.
It is expected that formal action confirming the USDOT’s renewed control of Washington Union Station will be completed in September.
About the Author
Brandon Lewis
Associate Editor
Brandon Lewis is a recent graduate of Kent State University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. Lewis is a former freelance editorial assistant at Vehicle Service Pros in Endeavor Business Media’s Vehicle Repair Group. Lewis brings his knowledge of web managing, copyediting and SEO practices to Mass Transit Magazine as an associate editor. He is also a co-host of the Infrastructure Technology Podcast.