11/9/2014
Contact: Amy Bernstein
202-366-0706

NEW YORK – Acting Federal Transit Administrator Therese McMillan today celebrated the grand opening of the new Fulton Center Transit Station – one of several major Lower Manhattan public transportation projects intended to repair, replace, or enhance facilities damaged or destroyed on September 11, 2001. Fulton Center is integral to the redevelopment and modernization of public transportation in Lower Manhattan, which has experienced significant residential population growth in recent years. McMillan was joined at the event by Rep. Jerrold Nadler, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, MTA Chairman Thomas Prendergast, and other state and local officials.

“The new Fulton Center facility sends a clear message that the United States is committed to building transportation infrastructure that will move our country’s economy forward,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “We’re proud to celebrate this milestone – but we must do more. We are committed to working with Congress to find bipartisan solutions that will help New York continue to revitalize its infrastructure in the years ahead.”

Fulton Center will provide more direct access, easier connections, and many more available entrances to reach 10 New York City subway lines (A, C, E, J, Z, R, 2, 3, 4, and 5). The facility also provides an underground passageway to reach the newly built World Trade Center PATH station. The new hub includes new retail space and is fully ADA-compliant. An iconic architectural feature, an oculus, serves as the principal gateway to the facility.

“This is a great day for New York, as we celebrate the opening of the second largest transportation project in Lower Manhattan in the post-9/11 era,” said Acting Federal Transit Administrator Therese McMillan. “The future of New York as a sustainable, livable city, and vibrant economic center, largely depends on our ability to build and maintain a modern, regional transportation network that works for everyone – and this is an important step toward that goal.”

The Federal Transit Administration provided $847 million toward the $1.4 billion Fulton Center project. The project also includes $423.3 million in American Recovery & Reinvestment Act funds and $129.7 million in local funds. Other major Lower Manhattan transit projects receiving federal funds from FTA include the World Trade Center PATH Hub project and the Route 9A reconstruction, both under construction, as well as the rebuilding of the South Ferry Station (completed in 2007 but destroyed by Hurricane Sandy). 
If Congress were to pass the GROW AMERICA Act, New York State transit agencies would receive approximately $2.4 billion in federal formula transportation funds in FY 2015. The funding level included in the reauthorization proposal and President’s FY 2015 budget is almost $1.1 billion over the amount provided in FY 2014. The additional funding would help New York City and New York state carry out capital transit improvements and enhancements.