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1/6/2025
As part of her 2025 State of the State address, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul yesterday proposed a major investment in Hudson Valley rail service that would increase capacity, reduce delays, improve safety and cut potential travel times by up to 15 minutes each way for certain trips, as well as shorten "super-express" MTA Metro-North Railroad Hudson Line trips to less than 90 minutes.
The proposal includes planning, evaluation and design for a set of rail infrastructure capital improvements between New York City and Poughkeepsie, including projects such as a second track at Spuyten Duyvil, interlocking, signaling and trackwork at Croton Harmon, and capacity improvements at Poughkeepsie Yard, according to a press release issued by the governor's office.
In addition, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) will execute a signaling redesign near Yonkers and climate resilience investments in the most vulnerable and highest ridership segments of the Hudson Line. The proposed costs of her proposal will be detailed later this month when the governor delivers her budget to the state Legislature, the Poughkeepsie Journal reported.
“Over the coming years, these much-needed infrastructure improvements will allow us to modernize our rail system, increase connectivity, reduce travel time and strengthen economic connections across the region. With these proposals, we are laying the groundwork to deliver faster and more reliable rail service for suburban and rural commuters across the Hudson Valley and beyond," said Hochul.
As part of an allocation anticipated to be available for regional investments in its 2025-29 capital plan, the MTA will evaluate and design other potential rail improvements, such as adding a third track to the Metro-North Harlem Line or connecting Hudson Line service to Penn Station for a one-seat commute to Manhattan’s West Side.
In partnership with New York State Department of Transportation, the MTA will also establish a regional rail working group with New Jersey, Connecticut and rail partners, to promote better coordination on interoperability, ticketing, schedules and customer interfaces.
The group will develop plans to make travel by Metro-North or Long Island Rail Road to MetLife Stadium as seamless as possible for the 2026 World Cup and explore future opportunities to further integrate regional travel, state officials said.