MTA says Penn Station Access interlocking to be commissioned in April; overnight foundation work to run across a residential Bronx stretch

Joe O’Donnell, the MTA’s director of government and community relations, updated Community Board 11 on the Metro‑North Penn Station Access project and said a critical legged interlocking in the southern core of the alignment is due to enter service in mid‑April, a milestone he called necessary to speed construction and reduce reliance on Amtrak.

The project will add four accessible Bronx stations — Parkchester/Van Ness, Hunts Point, Morris Park and Co‑op City — and deliver track, catenary, signal, substation and bridge upgrades across a corridor the MTA described as costing roughly “upwards of half a billion dollars” for the Amtrak / Metro‑North platform and right‑of‑way work. O’Donnell said the new Metro‑North service will provide a one‑seat ride into Penn Station and reverse‑commute options to points north.

Why it matters: the interlocking allows crews to move trains off tracks where workers are operating, increasing “wrench time” for daytime construction and reducing the need to repeatedly mobilize and demobilize crews. Until the interlocking is in service, the MTA said it must do some work at night to avoid disrupting existing Amtrak traffic.

Progress and near‑term schedule - Stations: MTA representatives showed renderings for Parkchester/Van Ness and Morris Park, and described dual entrances planned at Morris Park from both sides of Bassett Avenue. Parkchester/Van Ness will have an elevator and stair access on East Tremont Avenue and an additional stair entrance at Unionport Road. - Foundations and piles: presenters said pile and pile‑cap work is under way across station sites. Specific progress called out in the presentation included roughly 69% complete micro piles at Morris Park and 65% pile cap progress there; other station foundations and cap beams were described as partially complete, and Co‑op City reported earlier foundation work and trenching for utilities. - Catenary and power: the project will replace century‑old catenary supports and wires. Presenters reported columns and portals installed at multiple locations (for example, they reported about 97% of steel columns and 87% of portals at the legged‑interlocking area). A “Bronx 1” substation and other power works are in progress; MTA said the Gates substation was descoped after the procurement of battery/electric dual‑mode rolling stock, which reduced the immediate need for that particular substation. - Bridges and drainage: ongoing span‑by‑span bridge rehabilitation was described; Bronxdale Avenue bridge phase 1 is complete, Eastchester Road bridge work will resume and continue into 2026, and a Bronx River Bridge launch with new abutments was scheduled for mid‑May in the presentation. Project teams are also installing drainage improvements and rainwater detention at station sites. - Signals and commissioning: presenters said signals were complete at the interlocking, drainage was about 95% complete and that testing and commissioning of the interlocking and signals was expected in April.

Overnight work, community impacts and mitigation MTA staff told the board they will undertake a block‑spanning program of overnight foundation and trenching work in a roughly 12‑block stretch between Bronxdale Avenue and Eastchester Road for about six months. Officials described the overnight window as nightly, approximately 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., and said the activity will be intermittent and tied to foundation and pile work for the catenary columns. Joe O’Donnell said the work is scheduled overnight primarily to avoid impacts to Amtrak and existing commuter service and to preserve worker access during lower train volumes; he said the recently procured interlocking will allow much more daytime work after commissioning.

Residents raised concerns about overnight noise, lighting and backing trucks. Community Board members and residents sought more detail on sequencing, light shielding and noise mitigation; MTA representatives said they had recently been notified of the specific work locations and would provide additional maps and schedule details as soon as they are available. The presentation emphasized an MTA 24/7 hotline and a project website and newsletter for updates and to report concerns.

Safety, station amenities and policing MTA staff said stations will include help points and routine patrols by NYPD and MTA Police; the agencies are still coordinating specific responsibilities. Presenters said they were not planning staffed retail (coffee shops/newstands) or public restrooms on the platforms as part of this project scope. The MTA noted kiosks or vending opportunities may be possible in some locations but that such amenities were not part of the core construction scope.

Rolling stock and electrification O’Donnell said new battery/electric dual‑mode cars ordered for the program allowed the team to descope one planned substation (Gates) because the new trains can use both overhead catenary and the third‑rail system in the electrified approaches to Penn Station. He said procurement of suitable rolling stock was part of the reason some substation construction needs changed; the MTA said it would provide additional cost and reliability comparisons on request.

Community outreach and education Outreach leads Molly Hollister and Eric Wisdom described school visits, STEM activities and regular coordination with Community Boards 2, 9, 10 and 11. The MTA said they will share the slide deck and project materials with the board and reiterated contact details on the project hotline and website.

What the board asked for Board members repeatedly requested clearer maps and sequencing for the overnight program, advance door‑knocking in residential blocks, answers about lighting and noise mitigation for nighttime activity, and confirmation of where private property will be acquired or used for station plazas. MTA staff committed to follow up with clarified maps and to provide more detailed sequencing and mitigation plans.

Ending MTA staff left the meeting after a Q&A. They asked the board to escalate any resident complaints through the project hotline and said they would share the presentation and follow up on outstanding sequencing and property‑use questions.

Direct quote: "We're literally and figuratively gonna connect communities, bridging gaps," said Joe O’Donnell, summarizing the project vision for Bronx stations and access to Manhattan.