Assembly Resolution No. 502

BY: M. of A. Dinowitz

MEMORIALIZING the United States Congress to
provide emergency funding for the New York Penn
Station Infrastructure Renewal Program

WHEREAS, Since 1910, Penn Station has been a transit hub for the
Northeast Corridor, connecting New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, and
Washington, D.C., making it the nation's busiest rail station and
critical to regional mobility with over 600,000 commuters passing
through each day; and

WHEREAS, Penn Station provides connections to Long Island Rail Road,
Amtrak, and New Jersey Transit; and

WHEREAS, Penn Station is in dire need for immediate repairs and
station improvements, as well as long-term improvements, in order to
increase safety and reliability for all commuters; and

WHEREAS, On May 11, 2017, the Assembly Committee on Corporations,
Authorities, and Commissions held a hearing on the Penn Station program,
through which the committee was able to gain an understanding of the
elements and impact of the program; and

WHEREAS, New York State's $29.5 billion Metropolitan Transportation
Authority capital plan includes $270 million for the Moynihan Station
Development Project and to improve Penn Station; and

WHEREAS, New York State is the largest financial contributor to the
$1.6 billion Moynihan Station Development Project, including $700
million appropriated in the 2017-18 New York State Enacted Budget; and

WHEREAS, New York State's Metropolitan Transportation Authority has
committed $10.2 billion to the East Side Access project to ease
congestion at Penn Station; and

WHEREAS, Amtrak has committed to a renewal program, which will
consist of a series of repairs and improvements to the station beginning
in July 2017; and

WHEREAS, Disruptions caused by Amtrak's renewal program could lead
to a twenty percent reduction in service for the regional transit
systems that use the station; and

WHEREAS, Drastic reductions in service in Penn Station could cause
an overburdening of surrounding transit systems, which are already
experiencing high volumes of commuters; and

WHEREAS, New York cannot afford to have its regional transit systems
and commuters significantly and adversely affected by a renewal program;
now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Congress of the United States be and hereby is
respectfully memorialized by this Legislative Body to provide emergency
funding pursuant to the federal Public Transportation Emergency Relief

Program (49 U.S.C. 5324) for the Penn Station Infrastructure Renewal
Program and in addition, support and expedite funding requests for
long-term solutions; and be it further

RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to the President of the Senate of the United States, the
Speaker of the House of Representatives, and to each member of the
Congress of the United States from the State of New York.