FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, September 14, 1998
Contact: Karen Clarke
Tel.: (202) 366-0787
FTA 20-98
DEPUTY SECRETARY DOWNEY ANNOUNCES
$6.4 MILLION FOR NEW YORK MTA
U.S. Deputy Secretary of Transportation Mortimer L. Downey today announced an award of $6.4 million in Federal Transit Administration (FTA) funds to the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) for design and construction of an intermodal transportation center at the Mount Vernon East station located on Metro-North Railroad's New Haven line.
"President Clinton is committed to investing in transportation which will strengthen the economy and provide accessible transportation for everyone," Downey said. "The construction of this facility will provide better and more efficient service for people who use MTA’s Metro-North Railroad."
The grant awarded today will be used to build an intermodal transportation center at the Mount Vernon East Station on Metro-North's New Haven line that will connect Westchester County Bee-Line buses with the existing commuter rail system. Upgrades will also be made to the station’s landscaping, lighting and fare collection systems.
"When we first started working on this project back in the early 1990s, we had a vision of turning Mount Vernon into a modern transportation hub that would jump start the city’s economy," said New York Congresswoman Nita M. Lowey. "Today’s $6.4 million federal grant brings us much closer to that vision and to making the revitalization of the downtown area a reality."
"It is with great appreciation that I accept U.S. Department of Transportation funding today for Mount Vernon East station," said Acting President for MTA Metro-North Railroad Daniel T. Scannell. "We hope this new transportation facility will be the impetus for downtown redevelopment in Mount Vernon. Metro-North pledges to use this federal grant to create an inviting gateway to the city and a pleasant place for the 2,400 railroad customers who use this station daily."
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