NEW YORK — A name both familiar to and well-regarded by New Yorkers will be placed in charge of the remodeling of Penn Station.
Andy Byford, who oversaw the city’s subways to positive reviews as president of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s New York City Transit from 2018 to 2020, has been chosen to oversee the station project for Amtrak. The passenger operator and the Federal Railroad Administration were placed in charge of the long-discussed remodeling — replacing the MTA, previously designated as the lead agency —by the Trump administration in April [see “FRA, Amtrak to take over …,” Trains News Wire, April 18, 2025].
The news site West Side Spirit first reported Byford’s appointment. The New York Times reports the move must still be approved by Amtrak’s board of directors.
Duffy formally announced Byford’s appointment as a special advisor to the Amtrak board in a May 27 press release, saying, “We’re thrilled to have Andy oversee the redevelopment and modernization of this vital transit hub. Andy shares our dedication to keeping costs down and completing this project on time. Together we’ll work to deliver a brand-new Penn Station that is safe, clean, and worthy of the American people.”
Byford ran London’s public transit system after leaving New York, then joined Amtrak in 2023 in the newly created role of senior vice president of high speed rail development programs. [See “Former New York City Transit chief Byford to join Amtrak,” News Wire, March 23, 2025]. But Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy last month rescinded federal funding for the Texas Central high speed project, an effort Amtrak joined in 2023. [See “Amtrak working with Texas Central …,” News Wire, Aug. 2023]. That suggests there is little current need for an Amtrak executive devoted to high-speed rail.
The decision to take the MTA out of the lead role at Penn Station came as part of an ongoing battle between the transit agency and the Trump administration, a dispute triggered by a federal decision to rescind approval for the MTA’s congestion-pricing tolling in Manhattan. While at the MTA, Byford helped lead the effort to introduce congestion pricing.
Congestion tolling is continuing as the New York State and the MTA fight the administration’s decision in court. The latest in a series of deadlines set by Duffy to end the tolling program passed earlier this week without comment.
MTA official John J. McCarthy called Byford’s appointment “good news.
“Governor [Kathy] Hochul has welcomed the Trump Administration’s decision to step up and make good on its commitment to advance and finance this project,” McCarthy said in a statement. “We look forward to working with Andy Byford, who understands the importance of mass transit and was a strong supporter throughout our battle to implement congestion pricing in New York.”
In a statement, Hochul said she is “very pleased to be working with the newly appointed Andy Byford, who has a distinguished career in transit and infrastructure, and hope he is able to use these skills to deliver a beautiful, on-time, federally funded Penn Station renovation that New Yorkers can be proud of.”
Several competing proposals exist for the Penn Station project; the Trump administration has yet to indicate if it has a preference for any of the existing plans, or seeks a new alternative.
— Updated May 27 at 12:42 p.m. with comment from Duffy press release.
Well, first thing I might do is take the average cost of the current proposals, cut it in half and ask for new ones, drastically cutting back on any enclosed empty space. And keep the Garden in place. Any initial cost estimate is likely to double, anyway. And most important, the accepted proposal can NOT be changed or modified after approval. No expensive afterthoughts, re-thoughts or lollygags.
I remember when Byford and then gov. Cuomo went sideways; the latter could not stand Byford’s competence and popularity. There will be more operatic soap, Pennsy Station providing the agitator.