Latest news with #LongIslanders'
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Amtrak blasts Hochul and MTA for spinning blame on tunnel closures that could lead to delays
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways Amtrak's top boss blasted Gov. Kathy Hochul for failing to shoulder her portion of the blame for tunnel closures that could lead to train delays starting next week. In a sharply worded letter to Hochul, Amtrak president Roger Harris said Hochul's last-minute objections to Amtrak's tunnel shutdown plan were 'surprising' because MTA approved Amtrak's service plans for the $1.6 billion East River Tunnel rehabilitation months ago. Harris also said MTA's mismanagement of another project delayed the 'critical' East River Tunnel repairs by six months — and he accused the state of pushing 'misinformation' that undermines public trust. 'This underscores the importance of aligned public messaging,' Harris wrote to the governor. 'The project's engineering, safety and operational requirements have been transparent from the start and fully vetted by your agencies, MTA and New York State Department of Transportation.' Amtrak president Roger Harris said MTA has been a part of the controversial plan to close parts of the East River tunnels for repair work all along. REUTERS Gov. Kathy Hochul wrote a letter Monday calling on Amtrak to change its repair plans — even though the NYDOT had worked closely on the project plans. Robert Miller Harris warned that spinning the story could 'erode confidence' in all the agencies trying to fix the city's crumbling rails. Starting May 9, Amtrak will close for repair one of the four East River tunnels that connect Penn Station to Queens — forcing the MTA, Amtrak and New Jersey Transit trains to operate on fewer tracks while the aging infrastructure, which was battered by Superstorm Sandy in 2012, undergoes major repairs. There will be only 10 round trips from Penn Station to Albany instead of the usual 12 because of the closure. Workers will alternate which tunnel they work on during the three-year project. Passengers were outraged after MTA heads warned the tunnel closures could cause delays for all trains running through the remaining three East River tunnels. In response to Harris' letter, MTA issued a statement from Long Island Rail Road president Rob Free. 'If they proceed as intended, while finger-pointing about unrelated issues as a distraction, Long Islanders' reliance on record on-time and reliable trains will be jeopardized — which is unacceptable,' Free said. Laura Mason, executive vice president at Amtrak, said Amtrak engineers worked with the MTA 'in a lot of detail' on the East River tunnel plans. 'This collaboration goes back years,' she told The Post Friday. There will be only 10 round trips from Penn Station to Albany instead of the usual 12 during the three-year project. AP The White House put Amtrak in charge of the Penn Station redo. Two weeks later, the MTA board passed a resolution condemning Amtrak's construction work on the East River tunnel project. Mason said Amtrak was already working with MTA to mitigate delays by adding more standby crews to rescue trains if something goes wrong and by changing train schedules. 'I don't want to opine on their motives, but I do think the timing is questionable,' Mason said. The engineer is working on the Penn Station revamp too — that project was recently yanked from the MTA and handed to Amtrak instead by the Trump administration. 'It is always challenging in an environment that has a lot of intense politics, as well as a high degree of ridership that people do get nervous ahead of these outages,' Mason said. A spokesperson for Hochul said Amtrak has failed to deliver on promises to mitigate service disruptions and that's why the governor is concerned.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Amtrak moves ahead with East River Tunnel construction
NEW YORK (PIX11) — Get ready for construction that will impact train travel in the East River Tunnels and at Penn Station. Earlier this week, the MTA and Gov. Kathy Hochul expressed concern about Amtrak's plans for the mega project between Queens and Manhattan. More Local News On Friday, Amtrak responded to the governor with a letter: 'Given the MTA's extensive and long-standing role in planning, funding, and coordinating the implementation of this project, your recent objections are surprising,' wrote Amtrak President Roger Harris. One of the four current tracks will go out of service for 13 months during the project for the first phase. The East River Tunnels are managed and owned by Amtrak. MTA Board members and agency representatives discussed the project at the monthly meetings this week. The letter said a public back and forth about the project 'erodes public confidence.' On Friday, the LIRR president issued a statement. 'Amtrak is about to start a project that puts LIRR service at substantial risk. The MTA has been saying for years that Amtrak's flawed skeleton of a plan should be reconsidered. If they proceed as intended, while finger-pointing about unrelated issues as a distraction, Long Islanders' reliance on record on-time and reliable trains will be jeopardized—which is unacceptable,' said Long Island Rail Road President Rob Free. The work is scheduled to begin next week. Amtrak has already delayed the date due to an LIRR project which has been put in place to deal with the re-routes. A spokesperson for Hochul continued to question the service outlook. 'Governor Hochul's letter speaks for itself – she remains committed to working with all parties to continue her strong advocacy on behalf of transit riders,' the spokesperson wrote in an email to PIX11 News. Riders should check LIRR schedules. NJ Transit also uses the tunnels and Sunnyside Yard. Railroad officials said plans are in place, but they remain concerned about potential disruptions. Amtrak says crews and equipment are being strategically positioned to handle stalled trains or disturbances. The MTA this week suggested overnight or weekend closures, as was the plan during the L-train tunnel work. Amtrak has looked at the Canarsie Tube project, but this tunnel project has substantial differences and long-term fixes are required. It's the latest major rehabilitation work to repair and restore the tunnels after Superstorm Sandy in 2012. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
New York Post
02-05-2025
- Business
- New York Post
Train wreck: Amtrak blasts Hochul and MTA for tunnel delay spin
Amtrak's top boss blasted Gov. Hochul for failing to shoulder her portion of the blame for tunnel closures that could lead to train delays starting next week. In a sharply worded letter to Hochul, Amtrak President Roger Harris said Hochul's last-minute objections to Amtrak's tunnel shutdown plan were 'surprising' because MTA approved Amtrak's service plans for the $1.6 billion East River Tunnel rehabilitation months ago. Harris also said MTA's mismanagement of another project delayed the 'critical' East River Tunnel repairs by six months — and he accused the state of pushing 'misinformation' that undermines public trust. 'This underscores the importance of aligned public messaging,' Harris wrote to the governor. 'The project's engineering, safety and operational requirements have been transparent from the start and fully vetted by your agencies, MTA and New York State Department of Transportation.' Harris warned that spinning the story could 'erode confidence' in all the agencies trying to fix the city's crumbling rails. Starting May 9, Amtrak will close for repair one of the four East River Tunnels that connects Penn Station to Queens — forcing the MTA, Amtrak and New Jersey Transit trains to operate on fewer tracks while the aging infrastructure, which was battered by Superstorm Sandy in 2012, undergoes major repairs. There will be only 10 roundtrips from Penn Station to Albany instead of the usual 12 because of the closurre. Workers will alternate which tunnel they work on during the three year project. Passengers were outraged after MTA heads warned the tunnel closures could cause delays for all trains running through the remaining three East River Tunnels. 4 Amtrak President Roger Harris pushed said MTA has been a part of the controversial plan to close parts of the East River Tunnel for repair work all along. REUTERS 4 Governor Kathy Hochul wrote a letter Monday calling on Amtrak to change its repair plans – even though the NYDOT had worked closely on the project plans. Robert Miller In response to Harris' letter MTA issued a statement from Long Island Rail Road President Rob Free. 'If they proceed as intended, while finger-pointing about unrelated issues as a distraction, Long Islanders' reliance on record on-time and reliable trains will be jeopardized—which is unacceptable,' Free said. Laura Mason the executive vice president at Amtrak said Amtrak engineers worked with the MTA 'in a lot of detail' on the East River Tunnel plans. 'This collaboration goes back years,' she told The Post Friday. 4 There will be only 10 roundtrips from Penn Station to Albany instead of the usual 12 during the three year project. AP 4 The White House put Amtrak in charge of the Penn Station redo. Two weeks later the MTA board passed a resolution condemning Amtrak's construction work on the East River Tunnel project. Mason said Amtrak was already working with MTA to mitigate delays by adding more standby crews to rescue trains if something goes wrong and by changing train schedules. 'I don't want to opine on their motives, but I do think the timing is questionable,' Mason said. The engineer is working on the Penn Station revamp too — that project was recently yanked from the MTA and handed to Amtrak instead by the Trump administration. 'It is always challenging in an environment that has a lot of intense politics, as well as a high degree of ridership that people do get nervous ahead of these outages,' Mason said. A spokesperson for Hochul said said Amtrak has failed to deliver on promises to mitigate service disruptions and that's why the governor is now concerned.
