The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced that the Trump administration will oversee the reconstruction of New York’s Penn Station, taking it away from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). The project will now be managed alongside Amtrak, a federally funded entity. Penn Station, the busiest transit hub in the western hemisphere with over 600,000 daily commuters, has faced renovation challenges due to conflicting priorities among stakeholders such as the MTA, Amtrak, NJ Transit, and Madison Square Garden. According to the DOT, this decision aims to save taxpayers approximately $120 million and promote a public-private partnership model to reduce financial risks. However, specifics on cost savings or renovation plans remain unclear. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy emphasized the need for a new approach due to the MTA’s history of inefficiency. This move follows the resignation of Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner, partly influenced by comments from Elon Musk advocating for Amtrak’s privatization.
— new from The Guardian
