Rhinecliff station renovation stalled amid federal review

The Rhinecliff station renovation project is still stalled. On Tuesday, U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and U.S. Rep. Pat Ryan urged the Federal Railroad Administration to end the delay and allow the work to move ahead. This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

In a news release from Pat Ryan’s office, the two Democratic lawmakers said Hudson Valley commuters need a modern and accessible facility. They said the project involves one of New York’s busiest train stations.

The planned $28.22 million overhaul is paused while the Trump administration reviews grant funding promised under the Biden administration. That notice was announced last week by the state Department of Transportation. Still, the pause came after the improvement effort had appeared to be moving forward as recently as Jan. 14.

Why the Rhinecliff station renovation project is on hold?

Schumer and Ryan, D-Gardiner, who represents the 18th Congressional District, said construction was expected to start soon. They said this “last-minute unexplained bureaucratic delay from the Trump administration could undermine years of progress, and that they must release this federal funding so that the sorely needed upgrades and repairs can move forward.”

Ryan said in a statement, “Pausing this critical project, without warning or explanation, is a slap in the face to our Hudson Valley community.” He added, “The fact that DOT has provided no information or timeline is unacceptable, and risks years of further bureaucratic delays while our community is left in the dark.”

Ryan also said, “The Rhinecliff Station project is the product of years of community advocacy and bipartisan partnership at the local, state, and federal level.” He added, “Senator Schumer and I are urgently demanding answers, and won’t stop fighting until we ensure that Rhinecliff Station gets the resources it needs to serve our community.”

Schumer said that, “This is bureaucratic failure at its worst: eleventh-hour unexplained delays from the Trump administration risk years of progress to repair the Rhinecliff train station – right as this sorely needed upgrade was set to begin construction.” He added, “It is unacceptable to pause a grant with no explanation and leave community leaders and commuters completely in the dark on the future of the project.”

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An email sent Wednesday, April 8, went to dozens of state and local officials. It came from state Department of Transportation rail project group Environmental Specialist Heidi Krofft. It said details about the review would need to come from federal authorities. “The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has instructed NYSDOT to hold on taking further action on the Section 106 process required by the National Historic Preservation Act since NYSDOT’s federal grant for the Rhinecliff Platform and Interlocking Project is currently under review with USDOT and FRA,” she wrote.

Planned ADA upgrades and station improvements

On Jan. 14, the state Department of Transportation, the Federal Railroad Administration, and Amtrak sought town comments. The comments focused on plans to address Americans with Disabilities Act deficiencies affecting the station building, platform, passenger bridges, elevators, and parking lots.

The project scope includes a 1,000-foot ADA-compliant platform with canopy coverage over two-thirds of its length. It also includes replacement of the station crossover bridge, stairs, and elevators. In addition, it includes rehabilitation and modification of the secondary egress bridge connected to a parking area.

The plans also call for ticket counter changes and restroom improvements. They also call for installation of a raised floor in the western portion of the station. Meanwhile, the plans call for drainage work in the parking lot to stop flooding during storms. At the same time, they call for an increase in the height and width of the center platform between the two tracks.

Officials press for answers on station funding

Rhinebeck Town Supervisor Elizabeth Spinzia said Tuesday that the work has been a long time coming. “We’ve been working on this locally since 2015,” Spinzia said in a statement. “I was at the station with Senator Schumer in 2020 when he delivered federal aid for ADA compliance. As the fourth busiest station in New York State, many people rely on the Rhinecliff, and it’s literally crumbling due to neglect.”

State Sen. Michelle Hinchey, D-Saugerties, said in a statement that, “The planned improvements to this historic station have been years in the making, and we urge Washington to honor its commitment by releasing the funding designated for these desperately needed renovations. The station cannot continue in its current state, reduced to temporary structures awaiting construction, and that construction must commence.”

Separately, Republican Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino also criticized the pause. “We were disappointed to learn of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) pause of the Rhinecliff Station project,” Serino said in a statement. “This important project would fix long standing ADA issues, improve the passenger experience at the station, and improve operations with track and signal operations. We encourage the USDOT and FRA to complete their review as quickly as possible so this project can move forward.”

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