Transit trips across the Hudson River will continue to grow beyond the region’s current capacity. Without the infrastructure to meet this demand, the region’s economic growth and sustainability are in jeopardy.
New Penn Station Renovation Plan
RPA President Tom Wright joined New York Governor Kathy Hochul as the Governor announced updated plans to renovate Penn Station in November, 2021 (watch the press conference).
New York Governor Kathy Hochul
Doing nothing on Penn Station cannot be an option. Ridership has the potential to increase by as much as 150,000 people by the year 2040. We want these commuters on trains, and not adding to the congestion on city streets.”
Principles for a Better Penn Station
Capacity
- A plan must address the current and future capacity needs of Penn Station; built to accommodate 200,000 passengers per day, the station now operates at more than three times intended capacity with double-digit growth projected over the next twenty years (RPA estimates that ridership through Penn Station will increase by 40% as more commuters travel from New Jersey to New York City)
Safety
- In the event of a fire or terror-related emergency, commuters must be able to quickly, easily and safely exit the station regardless of where they are inside
- Passengers must have comfortable areas to wait for trains within Penn Station so they are not forced to congregate around track display monitors or outside platform doors
- Commuters must be able to exit platforms immediately upon stepping off trains, without having to wait in line for escalators or stairs
Dignity
- No matter the season, temperature inside the station must be comfortable for commuters, without extreme heat or cold, including on the platform level
- Penn Station must be fully ADA accessible, allowing all passengers, including those with limited mobility to be able to easily go from level to level within the station at all hours, including rush hour
- New Yorkers must have a world-class gateway worthy of the busiest transportation hub in the Western Hemisphere
Equity
- Regardless of whether passengers are coming from the NYC Subway, Long Island Rail Road, Metro North, New Jersey Transit or interstate travel via Amtrak, they must have access to adequate waiting areas, restrooms and reasonable amenities within the station
Community
- The station must seamlessly blend with surrounding buildings and the streetscape to create a welcoming, safe environment that complements the neighborhood
- As a modern, 21st-century transit hub, Penn Station must be designed with pedestrians and cyclists top of mind, offering ample bike parking, bike share docking stations and easily accessible restrooms and water fountains
Sustainability
- Any new major infrastructure endeavor on this scale must consider its environmental footprint; best practices may include repurposing existing elements of the station and leveraging energy efficient design, such as passive heating and cooling
Feasibility
- New York’s leaders must take advantage of the once in a generation opportunity to fix Penn Station while there are temporarily fewer passengers using the space as the result of the opening of East Side Access and Moynihan Train Hall
- With MSG’s operating permit set to expire in 2023, there must be a clear plan to move Madison Square Garden so that safety and capacity can be drastically improved
- The priority use and functionality of the future station must be to serve commuters
For far too long, the greatest city in the world has been saddled with one of its worst major transit complexes in the form of Penn Station. It’s time to chart real, concrete solutions to provide midtown Manhattan with the new hub we need.”
More people enter Penn Station on a daily basis than the entire population of Portland, Oregon, and Las Vegas. While it’s the nation’s busiest train hall, it’s also crucial that we get a plan for Penn Station that takes into consideration the local neighborhoods and businesses which I represent.”
RPA’s Fourth Regional Plan outlined a comprehensive plan to expand, overhaul and unify the Penn Station complex.
- Unlocking Penn’s Potential, Municipal Art Society 2013
-
Penn 2023: Envisioning a New Penn Station, the Next Madison Square Garden, and the Future of West Midtown, the Alliance for a New Penn Station
-
Madison Square Garden: Shaping the Future of West Midtown, the Alliance for a New Penn Station
-
“Rebirth of a Gateway” Moynihan Station, Regional Plan Association
-
Re-imagining Penn Station, Penn Design