Feds OK $15M for Rochester train station

A contract for design and construction of a new Rochester train station is expected to be awarded in the fall, now that the federal government has committed $15 million toward the project.

The new award was announced Thursday by U.S. Rep. Louise Slaughter of Fairport who called it an important milestone.

She said she fought for the funding, knowing the state Department of Transportation, Amtrak and Rochester Mayor Thomas S. Richards would work hard to meet aggressive deadlines and that she looks forward to seeing workers on the ground this year.

The city of Rochester managed the preliminary project scoping and public comment process which positioned the station to be a candidate for TIGER funding.

“Now that we have reached the next step with this project, we look forward to the jobs that will be created when this new gateway to Rochester and downtown is being constructed,” Richards said.

New York state is contributing $7.5 million and managing the design and construction of the station. which Amtrak will own and operate. Rochester has obligated $500,000. The new center will replace the current “temporary” station, built in 1978.

Construction is set to begin in 2014.

The planned 12,000-square-foot Rochester Intermodal Transportation Center will improve access to Amtrak’s Empire Service from New York City to Niagara Falls, the Maple Leaf from New York City to Toronto and other popular Northeast routes, officials said.

The current station served about 140,000 passengers in 2011 and ridership is expected to double by 2035, according to the grant application submitted by the New York Department of Transportation. The station is poorly lit with deteriorating concrete and does not comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The new facility will include a raised platform that will speed boarding, an underground concourse for pedestrian and baggage access, and an additional track.