Officials in Westchester and the Bronx are ready to roll on a multibillion-dollar rail project that will open Manhattan's West Side to people in both communities.

The plan is called the Penn Station Access Project.

Westchester County Executive George Latimer and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. hosted the first meeting of the newly created Penn Station Access Bronx and Westchester Community Council.           

The meeting took place at Mercy College's Bronx campus.

The project would open a new Metro-North Railroad link with four new stations in the Bronx that connects directly into Penn Station.

MTA officials say they already have over $1 billion available for the project.

The agency is still in talks with Amtrak about the use of its existing tracks for the project. There is no word yet on a completion date for the Penn Station Access Project. The entire project is expected to cost nearly $1.54 billion.