Good evening. I’m Marcel Negret, Senior Planner with the Regional Plan Association.
For many decades, fixing Penn Station and improving the trans-Hudson commute has been a signature priority for RPA.
The region has an opportunity to do something historic at Penn Station, and so we support moving ahead with this General Project Plan (GPP) so that we do not lose time and momentum for long-delayed and sorely needed improvements. While there are many outstanding issues, we believe these can be addressed either within or simultaneously to the GPP process.
Case for Penn South and Purpose of the GPP
We must not lose sight that Penn Station currently operates well beyond its designed capacity. There are many ways to increase capacity at the margins, but none of them can handle the anticipated passengers – including the Gateway program, Penn Access, and anticipated regional growth – without an expansion of the station.
We have looked at this issue closely. More tracks and platforms will be necessary, and expanding Penn Station to the South is the best — and really the only — viable alternative.
By increasing density and planning for growth in the district immediately surrounding Penn Station, we are preparing for the new riders from the Hudson Tunnel project and Penn Station Access.
To maximize the benefits and best possible outcomes, the expansion and renovation of Penn needs to be planned and designed together, as a single unified transit hub. In this regard the GPP will facilitate the assemblage of block 780 needed for Penn South.
We also believe the GPP fulfills the criteria required when testing the use of “value capture” as a legitimate and needed mechanism to finance capital projects. The GPP puts in place a framework for renovating and expanding Penn Station to the south, and captures value from the private investments that are enabled by the public actions. In addition, providing State oversight to work conducted mostly by state and regional agencies would be most appropriate, something the GPP also helps achieves.
Need for More Planning
The proposed plan also creates a foundation that supports future planning efforts, which are needed to develop a more complete vision for Penn Station and the broader district, including improving the urban design, public spaces, and connectivity to the surrounding neighborhoods. These efforts must provide sufficient transparency and opportunity for public input and debate, and mechanisms to ensure that the commitments of private and public stakeholders are fulfilled. We encourage all stakeholders, including both city and state agencies, to work together and start exploring solutions to address these needs.
Conclusion
We cannot stress it enough — this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to fix Penn Station. This means getting all players on board and on the same page to ensure the region has the necessary infrastructure that meets the demands of growth into the 21st century and beyond. The GPP provides a vehicle for doing that.
