Update: NYSDOT Commissioner McDonald Announces Launch of Project to Replace Outmoded Rochester Amtrak Station

ALBANY, NY (08/05/2011)(readMedia)-- Note to media: this revised version of the story includes quotes from Congresswoman Slaughter.

New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Joan McDonald today announced the department will launch a $3.5 million engineering and environmental analysis that will pave the way to replace the Rochester Amtrak station with a new Rochester Intermodal Transportation Center that will integrate passenger rail together with bus transit and automobile transportation.

"The existing station, which is not handicapped accessible, was constructed 33 years ago, and was designed to be temporary until a permanent station is built," said Commissioner McDonald. "This project is part of Governor Cuomo's economic development agenda: that by better connecting New York State through passenger rail we will be doing our part to rebuild New York's economy. A new intermodal transportation center will play a critical role in the region's and state's economy."

"Today's announcement is an important step for high-speed rail in Upstate New York because it is not only bringing New York one step closer to high-speed passenger rail that will traverse Upstate's largest cities, but also protects the funding we worked hard to secure," said Slaughter founder of both the Upstate Congressional Caucus and Bicameral High-Speed & Intercity Passenger Rail Caucus. "I've long said that the Rochester train station, which was meant to be temporary back in the 1970s, is inadequate if we expect Rochester to be ready for high-speed rail. With the obligation of more that $6 million, we can rest assured that it is safely in the hands of New York's Department of Transportation where it will be spent on what it was intended for."

McDonald noted that the new funding enhances an existing $1.5 million federal grant secured by US Representative Louise Slaughter. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has amended the grant, increasing the total to $2.9 million, also thanks to Slaughter's efforts. NYSDOT is providing $600,000 in state funding, bringing the total to $3.5 million.

The existing Rochester Station, owned by Amtrak, was constructed in 1978 as a temporary facility. The building and platforms are not ADA compliant and have greatly deteriorated in the past decade. By fully funding the preliminary and environmental activities, this project will be ready to apply for final design or construction funds in the future.

This project will also provide improved connections to other modes of transportation, including the Greyhound/Trailways bus service, the Rochester Regional Transit Service city buses, and taxis.

The grant funds preliminary engineering and environmental work for the configuration of the track and platforms at the new Rochester Intermodal Transportation Center conducted by NYSDOT and project scoping and preliminary engineering activities for the Rochester Intermodal Transportation Center facility to be conducted by the City of Rochester.

NYSDOT and the City of Rochester will be working closely together, along with other project partners including Amtrak, CSX Transportation, Rochester Genesee Regional Transportation Authority, NY Trailways, Adirondack Trailways, Genesee Transportation Council and others.

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