“Earlier today, I convened a meeting with leadership from the MTA and Amtrak to discuss the looming shutdown of the East River Tunnels. I have been clear since day one: whether it’s on Empire Service or the Long Island Rail Road, when it comes to protecting riders, I will not back down. While I have always been supportive of rehabilitating the East River Tunnel, it is clear that Amtrak needed to do more to address our concerns and bolster its efforts to mitigate the impact of its planned shutdown on commuters.
“Amtrak has agreed to provide enhanced inspections, additional shift crews and the development of an operational response plan to help mitigate potential impact on commuters throughout the duration of the project. While I continue to believe this work could be accomplished without a full shutdown, I understand the importance of moving this project forward. That is why I have asked — and Amtrak has agreed — to incorporate the actual experience of the first tunnel shutdown, including the use of third party consultants, to ensure the best approach to the second shutdown.
“In addition, Amtrak committed to working to meet capacity needs for service between New York City and the rest of the State and I have asked that they work to suspend dynamic pricing on these trips during the shutdown. We will be working diligently to hold Amtrak accountable for the promises they made today.”
