The head of the federal Department of Transportation said on Thursday that the Trump administration would take control of the renovation of Pennsylvania Station away from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
The move appeared to be the latest salvo in a running confrontation between the Trump administration and New York’s transportation agency, which began when the federal transportation secretary, Sean Duffy, ordered the state to end its congestion pricing program.
The station, one of the busiest and also most maligned transit hubs in the world, has for decades been on the verge of a huge overhaul to remedy its cramped and dreary corridors. But the competing priorities of local, state and federal stakeholders have made progress difficult.
It was not immediately clear what the administration’s vision for Penn Station might look like. Nor was it known whether the administration supports one of the various proposals for renovating or expanding the station.
The federal transportation department said the move would save $120 million by putting Amtrak in charge of a master plan for renovation and possible expansion. One of the biggest hurdles to renovating the train hall has been the structure that sits atop the station: Madison Square Garden, the famous sports arena whose owners have bristled at the thought of moving or disturbing the venue.
Mr. Trump has the ultimate say over the station because it is owned by Amtrak, a corporation controlled by the federal government. Members of its board of directors are presidential appointees. All of the current directors were appointed by Joe Biden, except the chairman, Anthony R. Coscia, who was appointed by Barack Obama.
A few weeks ago, the White House pressured Amtrak’s chief executive, Stephen Gardner, to resign because of his ties to the Biden administration. Mr. Gardner has not been replaced.
The M.T.A. did not receive an advance copy of the letter and was caught off guard by the announcement. Amtrak officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Stefanos Chen is a Times reporter covering New York City’s transit system.
Patrick McGeehan is a Times reporter who covers the economy of New York City and its airports and other transportation hubs.
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