Metro-North logs ridership record, slates meeting for Port Jervis Line upgrades

In 2016, MTA Metro-North Railroad served 86.5 million passengers, marking a new record.

The figure surpasses 2015's former record of 86.3 million, Metro-North officials said in a press release.

All three of Metro-North's East of Hudson lines logged new ridership records. The Harlem Line reported 27.7 million annual rides, while the Hudson Line logged 16.6 million rides. Both of these lines beat 2015's records by more than 125,000 each.

The New Haven Line posted a record 40.5 million total trips, exceeding 2015's record 40.3 million trips, according to a press release issued by the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT).

Ridership between Grand Central Terminal and Stamford, Conn. — the so-called "inner portion" of the New Haven Line — grew 2.8 percent, while ridership on the "outer portion" between Stamford and New Haven slipped 0.2 percent.

Overall New Haven Line ridership in December 2016 fell 1.5 percent compared to the same month in 2015, which CTDOT officials attributed to a Dec. 1 fare increase.

Total trips on Metro-North's West of Hudson lines fell 3 percent to 1.7 million. Ridership on these lines was negatively affected by the Hoboken Terminal accident in September 2016, Metro-North officials said.

Meanwhile, Metro-North next week will hold an open house Feb. 15 in Goshen, N.Y., to share details on proposed capital improvements on the Port Jervis Line.

The railroad is considering building passing sidings and a new yard along the Port Jervis Line. The proposal followed a study of ways to improve transit mobility and accessibility between New York City and Orange County, N.Y., Metro-North officials said.

The line is primarily a single track railroad for 65 miles between Sloatsburg and Port Jervis, N.Y. The line's sole yard is in Port Jervis, 95 miles from the route's terminus at the Hoboken Terminal in New Jersey.

Building a midpoint yard and passing sidings will allow Metro-North to provide more frequent peak and off-peak service. The improvements also will enable the railroad to introduce reverse-commute service.