February 3, 2024
New York State Senate Public Hearing on High Speed Rail
On Monday, January 29th, the New York Senate Standing Committee on Transportation — chaired by Senator Timothy M. Kennedy — held a public hearing to examine passenger rail within New York State, specifically the “90B” rail improvement plan adopted by the State Department of Transportation, but including other areas for service improvement and the possible adoption of "true" high-speed rail.
Testifying at the hearing were: Assistant Commissioner Janet Ho of the New York State Department of Transportation; Cory Engel, Secretary-Treasuer of the Brotherhood of Lomotive Engineers and Trainmen; Gary Prophet, President of the Empire State Passenger Association; Andrew Williams, Deputy State Director, New York League of Conservation Voters; and Joseph Alston, Director of Govermental Affairs for the Business Council of New York State. Video of tthe State Senate Transportation Committee Public Hearing on the '90B' Higher Speed Rail Plan is available here on YouYube. ESPA President Gary Prophet's testimony and following dialogue with the Committee starts at 1:35:30 into the video. ESPA's full submitted written testimony can be read online here at this link. The full written submitted written testimony of Janet Ho representing NYSDOT is here.
ESPA thanks the New York State Senate – including Senator Timothy M. Kennedy, Senator Jeremy A. Cooney, Senator Peter Oberacker, and Senator John C. Liu – for the Senate Standing Committee on Transportation holding a Public Hearing examining passenger rail within New York State, the “ALT 90B” Service Development Plan adopted by the State Department of Transportation, areas for improvement of conventional Intercity Passenger Rail within the state, and the possible adoption of High-Speed Rail in the more distant future.