Head of MTA reflects on lessons learned 2 years after opening Grand Central Madison
MIDTOWN, Manhattan (WABC) -- The head of the MTA is reflecting on the lessons learned in the two years since Grand Central Madison opened in New York City.
Way below street level, even lower than Grand Central Terminal, is the now officially 2-year-old Grand Central Madison - the Long Island Rail Road's east side station.
"This is like the fourth or fifth busiest terminal in the United States, but only a couple of years old," said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber. "Nobody's built a rail terminal of this scale since the early 1950s in the United States. It's really a game changer. And most of all, saving people 40 minutes a day."
Lieber admits the $11 billion terminal had a rocky start in 2023 with confused riders and scheduling issues - but says things are now on track.
Three-hundred trains enter Grand Central Madison daily, moving 1.5 million riders per month between Long Island and Queens and Manhattan.
"It took a couple of months to find the right balance between Penn and Grand Central in terms of where the riders wanted to go," Lieber said. "But you know what, it turned out Grand Central ridership has grown and grown and grown. And now it is exactly as we projected. It's about 40% of the Manhattan customers go to Grand Central instead of Penn. And, you know, folks were questioning whether we were ever going to get to that projection. We're already there. And some days it's more than 40."
While the concourse is certainly bright, clean and art-filled, two years later, there's still a complete lack of food and retail space - a staple at most transit hubs. The MTA says that comes next.
The agency has been attempting to recruit businesses to fill the 32 empty storefronts, but because of ventilation restrictions, it hasn't been so simple. The MTA board will be discussing strategy at this week's meeting.
However, Tracks Bar & Grill - a former Penn Station oyster bar - will be opening in the next few months.
Lieber was asked if he thinks the investment has shown it is paying out the way it was envisioned.
""I mean, listen, you know, the history of this project was the price, you know, went crazy, it was delayed for years under four governors before our team took it over," Lieber said. "But because New York's ability to be the powerhouse of the state's economy, region, county and the national economy depends on bringing everybody together for the super high value added jobs. This is a game changer."
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