NEW YORK CITY-The expansion of New York’s Pennsylvania Station got back on track after officials approved a contract to jump-start construction work on the long-delayed and much anticipated project. The Moynihan Station Development Corp. board of directors approved a $148 million contract to Skanska USA for phase I of Moynihan Station on Wednesday afternoon, paving the way for a new intercity train hall for Amtrak within the Farley Post Office Building, GlobeSt.com has confirmed.

The $267 million project—which will be managed by the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey—will connect the existing Penn Station with the Farley Building across Eighth Avenue. The work will involve the construction of new entrances through the northeast and southeast corners of the Farley Building, as well as the widening of Penn’s West End Concourse, providing new connections and access elements to the platform, which serves New Jersey Transit, Amtrak and Long Island Rail Road riders.

The construction will double the width of the West End Concourse to serve nine of the station’s twelve train platforms to improve passenger circulation and capacity. In addition, two new entrances will allow direct passenger access in the Farley Building at 31^st and 33^rd Streets and Eighth Avenue to the concourse, allowing the public to pass through for the first time.