Special Infrastructure Account, New York State

Budget Highlights

The FY 2022 Executive Budget includes a new $1.3 billion appropriation to support the Empire Station Complex. The State has made significant progress with its ongoing investment to combine extensive renovations at the existing Penn Station with the transformation of the James A. Farley Post Office building into the Moynihan Train Hall to create a new Empire Station. In December 2020, the Governor announced that a key element of the plan – the Moynihan Train Hall project - was completed. Expanding on this achievement, Governor Cuomo announced a proposal to expand Penn Station southward to create the Empire Station District. The plan creates new, larger terminals, and will increase track and train capacity by 40 percent. The new $1.3 billion appropriations may be used for the initial property acquisition required to implement the project.

The recommended reappropriation of $1.2 billion will continue to support the following initiatives:

Broadband Initiative: Expands the availability and capacity of broadband across the State, and development of other telecommunication infrastructure. Also, expands the creation of highspeed networks and promotes broadband adoption.

Counter-Terrorism and Security Measures: Funds counter-terrorism efforts in New York City including increased security and anti-terror exercises at nine MTA-operated bridges and tunnels. Additionally, sustains the increased deployment of National Guard at transportation hubs.

Disaster Prevention and Response: Funding for preparedness and response efforts related to severe weather events, as well as efforts to prevent, prepare for, and respond to acts of terrorism, other public safety and health emergencies, and natural and man-made disasters.

Economic Development: Funding for the economic development strategy of creating jobs, strengthening and diversifying economies, and generating economic opportunities across the State, including investments in infrastructure.

Poverty Reduction Initiative: This program brings together State and local government, nonprofits, and community groups to design and implement coordinated solutions for addressing poverty.

Health Care/Hospitals: Provides grants to essential health care providers that facilitate mergers, consolidation, acquisition, or other significant corporate restructuring activities to create a financially sustainable system of care.

Homeless Housing: Provides housing opportunities for individuals and families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

Infrastructure Improvements: Funding for infrastructure improvements to support transportation, upstate transit, rail, airport, port, and other projects.

Municipal Restructuring and Consolidation Competition: To initiate the reduction of costs through a competitive process administered by the DOS. It assists and encourages local governments and school districts to implement shared services, cooperation agreements, mergers, and other actions that permanently reduce operational costs and property tax burdens.

Penn Station Access: A new Metro-North link directly into Penn Station to provide enhanced system resiliency, improvement in regional mobility. Also provides funding to build four new Metro-North stations in the Bronx.

Southern Tier/Hudson Valley Farm Initiative: Helps landowner's in the Southern Tier and Hudson Valley maintain and develop farming, agricultural, and related businesses.

Transformative Economic Development Projects: Includes funds to promote economic development in Nassau and Suffolk counties.

Transportation Capital Plan: Provides funding for transportation infrastructure projects across the State.

Note: Most recent estimates as of 01/19/2021