The U.S. Department of Transportation said Wednesday it will assume direct management of Washington, D.C.’s Union Station, replacing Amtrak and the nonprofit Union Station Redevelopment Corporation as day-to-day operators of one of the nation’s busiest rail hubs. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told reporters the federal takeover will let the government tackle crime, homelessness and several billion dollars of deferred maintenance at the 118-year-old Beaux-Arts landmark while attracting new retail tenants. Formal transfer of authority is expected in September, and the department plans to draft a fresh renovation blueprint after scrapping a $10 billion plan advanced under the prior administration. The move extends a series of federal interventions in the capital under President Donald Trump, who this month deployed National Guard troops and asserted control over the city’s police department. Mayor Muriel Bowser said Washington lacks the estimated $8 billion needed to modernize the station and welcomed federal funding, while other local officials labeled the action an overreach. The announcement coincided with Amtrak’s launch of its $2.35 billion NextGen Acela fleet, capable of 160 mph, on the Northeast Corridor that links Washington, New York and Boston. Despite the equipment upgrade, scheduling gains will remain modest until additional track and power improvements are completed.