(The following story by Joseph Spector appeared on the Press & Sun-Bulletin website on September 5.)
ALBANY, N.Y. — A floundering plan to construct a high-speed rail across New York took a step forward Wednesday as the state Senate pledged $22 million for rail- line improvements between Albany to New York City.
The announcement is part of a multi-billion-dollar plan championed by Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno to link upstate to a high-speed rail system that would continue to New York City.
But the idea, first unveiled by Bruno more than two years ago, remains stalled. So Bruno, R-Brunswick, Rensselaer County, announced Wednesday a smaller first step – improve the reliability and speed of rail service between Albany and New York, currently about a 2 1/2-hour trip.
The goal is to lower the train time between Albany and Manhattan to two hours, he said.
The $22 million state grant enacted as part of this year’s state budget will add a fourth track at the Albany-Rensselaer Station, improve the Hudson station about 30 miles south of Albany and stabilize a rock wall near the rail lines under the George Washington Bridge in Manhattan where trains now are forced to cut their speed.
The goal, supporters said, is to limit traffic problems on the rail lines so faster moving trains aren’t slowed. The work is set to get underway this year, Bruno said.
But even with the money, the high-speed rail from Albany to New York City remains years away. Bruno estimated it would take about $1.5 billion for its completion, and he acknowledged no source of that money has been identified.
Nonetheless, Bruno and advocacy groups said the money signifies that the project is alive, especially because Amtrak and the state Department of Transportation are now collaborating on the initiative.
“We’re concerned with the time that it’s taken, but we’re glad that it’s finally moving forward,” said Bruce Becker, president of the Empire State Passengers Association.
Beating back questions Wednesday that the project remains a pipe dream, Bruno said he remains committed to a high-speed rail system for New York, explaining that it is needed to improve the upstate economy. He admitted, though, that such a plan would take billions of dollars and decades to complete.
Bruno, who has been embroiled in scandal over his use of state aircraft for political purposes, said the current Albany rail system suffers from unnecessary delays.
To help alleviate one bottleneck, $6 million of the state aid will go to the Hudson Station so passenger and freight trains can continue through without slowing down while another train is in the station, said state Sen. Stephen Saland, R-Poughkeepsie.
According to Amtrak officials, trains are on time about 70 percent of the time between Albany and New York City. Bruno said Metro North trains in the New York City suburbs are on time more than 90 percent of the time.
“Nothing of consequence is happening in a substantial way unless we can move goods — reliably and safely — and people in a mass transit way,” Bruno said.