Some critical details were missing from U.S. Sen. Schumer’s announcement that he has secured $72 million from the federal Department of Transportation for various Penn Station capital improvements.
Is the $72 million an approved appropriation of funding that a transit agency must still develop a grant application or apply for, or is it a real grant that includes $72 million in funding to a transit agency that is now immediately available to be spent by the grant recipient?
Are these funds being administered by the Federal Transit Administration? Is there already a memorandum of understanding between the MTA, LIRR, New Jersey Transit and Amtrak for administration of these funds?
How many years will it take to advance design and engineering (reviewed and approved by MTA, NYC Transit, LIRR, NJ Transit and Amtrak operations, maintenance and other departments before the project is ready for the next phase of construction? Design and engineering usually averages 5% to 10% of a capital project cost.
Who is going to come up with the $648 million for construction, independent third party engineering, construction management firms to assist in oversight and contingency funding for construction bids coming in above the project cost estimates, contract change orders during construction due to unforeseen site conditions or late requests by LIRR, NYC Transit, NJ Transit and Amtrak operations or maintenance groups?
By Larry Penner
Great Neck
Larry Penner is a transportation advocate, historian and writer who previously served as a former director for the Federal Transit Administration Region 2 New York Office of Operations and Program Management.
