“Because the tunnels were flooded in Sandy and are deteriorating faster than we anticipated — and purely because the tunnels are old, far too old — they are, inevitably, only a few years away from being structurally unsound. ‘Closed in need of repairs.’
We are fast approaching a regional transportation Armageddon: the busiest rail line in the country stranded without a way into New York.
Make no mistake: closing the tunnels would be cataclysmic for commerce. For New York. For New Jersey. For the country.”
– US Senator Charles Schumer, NY
Superstorm Sandy accelerated the deterioration of the century old train tunnels beneath the Hudson River. A new tunnel is being discussed, but it has not been started yet. Until then, a shutdown of either tunnel is going to wreak havoc with commuters and businesses that rely upon the timely movement of workers and goods.
Big infrastructure projects can sometimes take decades to go from an idea to studies to planning to funding to groundbreaking and finally to the ribbon-cutting ceremony. It’s an arduous process, but absolutely necessary to support the life and economy of the region.
