Study Overview

Study Purpose and Need

Study area: Click on the map for a description and map of the locations under study.

Metro-North has identified the need to improve access to Manhattan’s West Side for its current and future customers. Improved access to Penn Station and the West Side of Manhattan would serve to improve regional rail connectivity, increase Metro-North ridership, improve Metro-North service flexibility, support regional economic development, and improve quality of life in the region.

Improving Regional Connectivity

Improving travel to the Penn Station area from the Metro-North East-of-Hudson service territory could improve the following types of travel: Commutation to Manhattan’s West Side (Penn Station and Upper West Side areas); Commutation to Long Island and New Jersey (via transfer at Penn Station to Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) or New Jersey Transit (NJT) service); Commutation to workplaces in the vicinity of possible new station(s); Reverse commutation from the West Side and possible new station location(s) to communities in the Metro-North service area; Discretionary (non-work-related) travel to Long Island and New Jersey in peak periods, off-peak periods, and on weekends; Discretionary (non-work-related) travel to Manhattan’s West Side in peak periods, off-peak periods, and on weekends for visits to shops, shows and museums; and Improved access via connection to Amtrak service at Penn Station for long-distance travel.

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Study Development

Following completion of the Study's scoping process, a list of preliminary alternatives was developed. Each alternative was evaluated independently against a defined set of initial screening criteria; on this basis, a list of intermediate alternatives was advanced for further, more detailed definition and evaluation. (Several of the alternatives not recommended for further study may have merit, separate from this Study, and are either currently being evaluated in other, ongoing studies or may be studied in the future.)

The intermediate alternatives were then subjected to a comparative screening and added potential new intermediate station location(s) as components of the alternatives. The result of the comparative screen are as follows:

Alternatives Advanced to the DEIS Stage
Alternative 1: Hudson Line Service to Penn Station via the Empire Connection with new station stops at West 125th and West 62nd Streets
Alternative 1A: Off-Peak/Weekend only Hudson Line Service to Penn Station via the Empire Connection with no new stations.
Alternative 2: New Haven Line Service to Penn Station via the Hell Gate Line with new station stops at Co-op City, Parkchester, and Hunts Point.
Alternative 2A: Off-Peak/Weekend only New Haven Line Service to Penn Station via the Hell Gate Line with no new stations.

Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS)

An analysis of potential environmental impacts of the four alternatives selected for review is being performed and will be presented in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement.

The DEIS will be made available to all interested parties. A comment period and public hearing will be held to receive written and oral comments from government agencies and the public.

From there, DEIS comments will be addressed and incorporated into a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS).