Faster rail service possible with federal grant

New York is on the fast track to improving transportation.
Governor Andrew Cuomo announced the state was awarded a total of $354.4 million in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for three upcoming projects. According to the governor’s announcement, made on Monday, May 9, the projects will advance high speed rail plans, rebuild infrastructure and most importantly, create jobs.
Shortly after being elected, Cuomo wrote to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, urging him to direct any federal high-speed rail money rejected by other states to New York.
After Wisconsin, Ohio and Florida rejected funding, LaHood granted Cuomo’s request.
“New York stands ready to use this federal money to rebuild our transportation infrastructure, expand high speed rail and put New Yorkers back to work. In April I applied for federal grant money to fund promising projects that would push New York’s high-speed rail plans forward and create jobs,” said Cuomo. “These initiatives have tremendous potential and will be a significant factor in ushering our economy and transportation system into the 21st century. I thank Secretary LaHood and his team for their careful review of the projects.”
Three high-profile projects will receive funding following the governor’s announcement. The largest of those projects, the Northeast Corridor Congestion Relief, will receive $295 million to alleviate major delays for trains going in and out of Manhattan with new routes that allow Amtrak trains to bypass the busiest passenger rail junction in the nation.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Harold Interlocking plan seeks to improve reliability and overall travel time for existing Amtrak service between New York and Boston. It will also lay the groundwork for a direct path through Harold Interlocking, which is needed to make a Northeast Corridor high-speed rail possible.
The other two projects, Empire Corridor Capacity Improvements and Empire Corridor West, will receive $58 million and $1.4 million, respectively. Empire Corridor Capacity Improvements will upgrade tracks, stations and signals along the Empire Corridor. This includes replacement of the Schenectady Station and construction of a fourth station track at the Albany-Rensselaer Station.
The Empire Corridor West will use funds for a preliminary engineering and environmental analysis for a new Rochester Intermodal Station on the Empire Corridor, connecting passengers with additional transit and pedestrian options.
The federal government awarded these funds to New York through a competitive grant process, which saw the governor apply for $517 million for various initiatives across the state.