Feds called the Gateway Tunnel the “most important rail project in the U.S.” back in July.
Governors Christie and Cuomo presented President Obama with a funding plan in September, requesting that the federal government fund half of the cost of the project while NJ and NY fund the other half.
Last month, NJ Transit agreed to conduct the environmental impact study.
Just yesterday, NJ and NY announced that the project would be managed by a subsidiary of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
And now, thanks to the concerted efforts of Senators Cory Booker, D-NJ, Charles Schumer, D-NY, and governors Christie and Cuomo, federal officials have agreed to fund “at least half of the Gateway tunnel project” according to a report from NJ.com.
This is, to put it mildly, a very big deal, as the current rail tunnels are over 100 years old and were badly damaged by saltwater from Tropical Storm Sandy. We’ve posted this video before, but it’s worth repeating, a trouble in one of the tubes will not just affect rail commuters but will have a ripple effect on bus commuters, drivers, and the regional economy.
Let us hope that this momentum continues, that there are Local 825 Operating Engineers working on this project as soon as possible, and that the new tunnel is completed before “Transportation Armageddon“.
Thanks to all that are moving the Gateway Tunnel forward.
