The nation’s top transportation official is hoping New York City’s Penn Station will be renamed, opening the possibility of it bearing President Donald Trump’s name.
U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Secretary Sean Duffy on Wednesday sent a letter to lawmakers and asked that Amtrak be allowed to change the name as part of an $8 billion revitalization project, the New York Post reported Thursday.
Duffy asked for the renaming when Congress reauthorizes funding for surface transportation initiatives expiring in a few months.
“We have a unique opportunity through reauthorization efforts to address key initiatives — particularly those related to transforming New York Penn Station,” Duffy, who did not suggest a name, stated. He also said the structure would be “rebuilt into a brand-new, world-class station.”
Indeed, Duffy shared a video of what Penn Station may look like in the future, which he called its “mind-blowing REBIRTH”:
In a July 15 press release, Duffy and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) shared findings regarding phase one of the New York Penn Station Service Optimization Study (SOS).
The needed upgrades included extending three key platforms, installing additional stairs/escalators, decluttering platforms, and improving signage.
Duffy said, “Whether you are a daily commuter or a tourist, Penn Station can and should work better for you. That means reducing frustrating delays and increasing capacity. This early report underscores how the work we are doing to transform the station into a world class transit hub isn’t just a face lift — it can fundamentally improve the travel experience.”
The secretary in August hinted the famous station might be renamed after President Trump when speaking with reporters.
“I imagine you’re asking, ‘Is this going to be Trump Station?’ I think that has a nice ring to it. That is a conversation that could happen at some other point,” he said.
The History Channel called the original Penn Station “one of the most important buildings in railroad history,” adding it had become “little more than a glorified subway station.”
“Built between 1906 and 1910, Penn Station was a place of inspiring beauty and elegance, of soaring inspiration as well as clockwork efficiency,” the video’s narrator said:
In March, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) signed a bill approving the renaming of Palm Beach International Airport as the President Donald J. Trump International Airport, Breitbart News reported.
