New York Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo is requesting President Donald Trump approve emergency funding for improvements to Penn Station.
Cuomo took to social media Sunday to post a letter to the president, arguing, while it may not be a flood or fire, the rail system’s inefficiencies impact thousands of commuters.
The situation at Penn Station is intolerable. I’m asking @POTUS to provide emergency assistance. My full letter: https://t.co/KhHGQMS7VB pic.twitter.com/iFMOdgiFaw
— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) May 21, 2017
He referred to the condition of the station as “deplorable,” noting the 600,000 passengers who flow through the station daily are regularly inconvenienced.
“The negative impact of the state of disrepair at Penn Station has reached a tipping point. As you know, the station is in deplorable condition and has been for years,” he wrote in the letter. “However, the recent track breakdowns and mechanical problems have made the situation intolerable.”
According to Cuomo, the transit conditions have the potential to lead to riots.
“Thousands of commuters have been stranded for hours, in packed corridors, and the conditions have been described as ‘near riot,'” he wrote. The circumstances are so bad that the state legislature convened emergency hearings with Amtrak officials.
Cuomo made the case that Trump, as a fellow New Yorker, should understand the severity of the situation.
“While this is not a hurricane or flood it will affect as many people and businesses with dire consequences,” he wrote. “Like a natural disaster, we didn’t create it, but our public offices require we address it. As in most emergencies, this is not a political issue, and bipartisan officials will agree that we need immediate help. This situation affects the entire northeast region.”
Follow Juliegrace Brufke on Twitter
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.