Multi-scale regional transportation governance : evaluating cooperation and decision-making at New York Penn Station

Abstract

This thesis examines the existing regional transportation governance structure in New York City, and use Penn Station and the Gateway Rail Tunnel Project as lenses to explore the effectiveness of governance and the ability to realize regional transportation and economic development goals. It will explore multi-scale governance, and the relationships within and between urban, metropolitan and mega-regional transportation governance structures. New York Pennsylvania Station is a major hub station in New York City and the busiest transportation facility in the United States. As a node that connects two major commuter rail systems (Long Island Rail Road and New Jersey Transit) urban public transit (New York City Transit), and intercity rail (Amtrak), Penn Station is a physical manifestation of competition for space and financial resources, and the necessity of intermodal collaboration and integrated governance to achieve the maximum benefit for the region. The challenges facing American cities are no longer localized in nature, but rather incorporate not only the central city and its surrounding suburbs, but also the next metropolitan area, or even one hundreds of miles away. Regional governance systems currently in place are ill equipped to deal with challenges that transcend local urban boundaries. These challenges incorporate not only transportation operators, but also government officials, private companies and civil sector organizations. Through interviews with twenty-five senior officials from public, private, academic and civil sector organizations, we explored current regional governance structures and the reality of decision-making, as well as the potential for change in the region. Through our study of Penn Station, we consider the history that has led to the current structure of the governance system and explore long-, medium- and short-term changes that can help improve regional rail integration and decision-making. Long-term, we discuss the potential for a new regional transportation governance structure incorporating existing operators; in the medium-term, we explore the potential of a station management organization and in the short-term, we discuss several ideas for bridging divides across operators and improving the current travel experience.