The Rhinecliff Amtrak Station’s renovation project is getting back on track despite a review of a $28 million federal grant launched by the U.S. Department of Transportation in April.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and U.S. Rep. Pat Ryan announced June 4 that the Federal Railroad Administration had informed the New York State Department of Transportation earlier in the week it can continue moving forward with the project. Both entities have confirmed, according to Ryan’s office, that the project will continue.
Schumer and Ryan had sent a letter to Federal Railroad Administration Administrator David Armstrong Fink in April, calling for an explanation of the review, a stop to delays and release of the funding.
“When Congressman Ryan and I heard the Trump administration was senselessly delaying federal support we’ve fought hard to secure, we immediately called on the Federal Railroad Administration to cut the red tape and stop derailing this vital project,” Schumer said in a statement. “I’m proud to learn FRA has heeded our calls and will be moving forward with plans to bring Dutchess County the modern and accessible train station it deserves.”
Ryan said he spoke directly with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to convey the need for the project in the Hudson Valley.
“I’m very grateful he listened, engaged constructively, and acted quickly to get things back on track,” Ryan said in a statement. “That’s the kind of effective bipartisanship I’m fighting for, and I will continue to make sure Rhinecliff Station gets the resources it needs to serve our community.”
Former U.S. Rep. and former Federal Transit Administrator Marc Molinaro, who helped initiate the station improvements, said he also engaged with federal officials and local stakeholders to help move the project forward.
“I was proud to help get this project moving years ago and to work with Secretary Duffy to help get it back on track,” Molinaro said in a statement. “Rhinecliff Station is vital to the Hudson Valley’s economy and quality of life, and ensuring this investment moves forward means a safer, more accessible and more reliable experience for the people who depend on it every day.”
The station, lawmakers claim, is one of New York’s busiest, but has deteriorated over the past 15 years, while also needing federally mandated ADA-compliant infrastructure upgrades and modernizations.
According to an Amtrak fact sheet from the 2019 fiscal year, the Rhinecliff Station serviced 211,139 passengers, the fourth highest following Penn Station, the Albany-Rensselaer Station and the Hudson Station.
The station, 90 miles north of New York City, serves 26 Amtrak trains daily.
While no exact date for the start of construction has been given, Ryan and Schumer said the last-minute delay to construction plans could have undermined years of progress.
“We will continue watching like hawks to ensure this project stays on track for the local commuters and hundreds of thousands of travelers that come through every year,” Schumer said.
Nickie Hayes is Breaking & Trending News Reporter for the Poughkeepsie Journal. See her most recent articles here. Contact reporter Nickie Hayes: NHayes@poughkee.gannett.com, 845-863-3518 and @nickieehayess on Instagram.
This article originally appeared on Poughkeepsie Journal: Rhinecliff Amtrak Station renovation clears federal hurdle
Reporting by Nickie Hayes, Poughkeepsie Journal / Poughkeepsie Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Nickie Hayes, Poughkeepsie Journal | USA TODAY Network
