New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo requested “emergency assistance” from President Trump to fix Penn Station’s aging infrastructure, according to a letter he wrote to Trump Sunday.
The governor wrote on Twitter Sunday that the state needs assistance from Trump for the “intolerable” situation at Penn Station, citing a letter he addressed to the president.
Cuomo underscored the importance of fixing the infrastructure of the station due to the “track breakdowns” and “mechanical problems” it has faced over the past few months.
“The negative impact of the state of disrepair at Penn Station has reached a tipping point. As you know, the station is in deplorable condition and has been for years. However, the recent track breakdowns and mechanical problems have made the situation intolerable,” Cuomo wrote in the letter.
“I request that the federal government treat this as an emergency situation and provide funding for the short-term Penn construction and transportation alternatives and facilitation of a long-term resolution for Penn Station,” he added.
The New York Daily News reported in May that Amtrak executives made the decision to shut down as many as five tracks at a time for extended periods starting in May and continuing throughout the summer but expected to move most major track work to the weekends by September.
Cuomo said the track-work would lead to a “20 percent reduction” in service during the station’s “peak hours,” causing headaches for the New York metropolitan area’s 600,000 daily commuters.
The governor also requested Trump’s support in turning over control of Penn Station’s operations from Amtrak to “a private sector terminal operator” and federal funding for construction of a new entrance to the station.
“As a New Yorker, I think you know the severity of the situation, and you know that if the state has the financial and operating support, we will get the job done,” Cuomo wrote.
Cuomo has not always been looking to gain support from the Trump administration.
The governor actively protested against Trump’s executive order on immigration in January by sending state officials to protect people protesting against the executive order outside John F. Kennedy Airport.
He also said that transgender students would not lose protections in New York despite the Trump administration’s decision to repeal Obama-era guidelines allowing school children to use the bathroom of their preferred gender.