Construction officially begins on long-delayed Gateway Hudson River Tunnel Project

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: CBS News

Updated on: November 3, 2023 / 7:53 PM EDT


NEW YORK -- Friday, construction kicked off on the first part of the project to build two new train tunnels underneath the Hudson River. This project has been talked about for 30 years, and with work finally set to begin, state and federal leaders are celebrating what they call the light at the end of a very long tunnel. "These are hard dollars that translate into hard hats," Sen. Chuck Schumer said.

Having support for New York among Washington leadership helped secure a total of $11 billion in federal financing, 70% of the money needed to connect Secaucus, New Jersey, to Penn Station through a brand new gateway. "This is the largest single investment in infrastructure. and what better place than the great city of New York, the great state of New York, to prove that when we do things together, we can get great things done," said Mitch Landrieu, senior advisor to President Joe Biden.

The project is expected to provide 72,000 union jobs and an economic impact of $19 billion once all four tracks are up and running, transporting 200,000 people daily. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg compares Gateway to the Hoover Dam and Golden Gate Bridge.

"There are some infrastructure projects so large, so complex that they defy traditional funding structures, and so significant that they become iconic parts of the American landscape," Buttigieg said. The need to repair and replace the existing century-old tunnel became apparent after Superstorm Sandy, when saltwater sped up the corrosion already underway.

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/construction-officially-begins-on-long-delayed-gateway-hudson-river-tunnel-project/

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This is huge. While showboating in his first term in office as governor, Crispy Creme had cancelled the original predecessor project, triggering a demand to reimburse the federal government for $350 million, which was incrementally reduced over time, and finally agreed to be for $95 million.

Anyone who lives along the Northeast Corridor serviced by Amtrak, the most densely populated part of the U.S. (and including Washington D.C., Philly, NYC, and Boston) should be glad to see something finally come of this. We can't have "bullet trains" or other "high speed" train transport as long as the NE corridor infrastructure is in shambles.

[bluedigger]

1. I was there at the beginning, twenty years ago.

Construction really began in 2003, with the exhumation, and eventual reburial of thousands of forgotten bodies from a Potter's Field in Secaucus. At the time, and possibly still, it was the largest cemetery relocation in US history.

[The Wizard]

2. Christie was the first one to cancel the project

because he wanted the money to rebuild the Pulaski Skyway with his approved contractors (smells like graft). Then Trump took away the funding to punish states that didn't vote for him. Both are running for the GQP 2024 presidential nomination. The corruption smells like Secaucus in the 1950s when it was known for its pig farms.

[Grins]

3. Your comment is dead on!

And it was the first thing I thought reading this article.

Back in 2010 the need for those tunnels was critical and cost was $8B.

After the payments by the Port Authority and the Federal government - plus the largest stimulus donation in the nation (Thanks, Obama!!!) NJ's contribution would only be $2.7B. The federal government with Port Authority were going to pick up 66.25% of the tab! Meanwhile, the state of NY was coughing up billions to improve the NY side of that tunnel for the same reasons.

Today, the cost to build what should have been built (and operational) today is $11B, a 37.5% increase! Fiscal responsibility my ass.

Christie was also famous back then for REFUSING to raise the fixed-fee-per-gallon price on gasoline at the pump that had not changed in decades, making NJ one of the best places in the country to buy gas.

But the money coming in on that per-gallon tax was targeted for the maintenance of the state highway system! The costs of that maintenance were going up every year, but the revenue wasn't going up with it! Soon enough, everything that was coming in was going out just as fast, to the point where Christie said "Stop everything!!"

Scores of infrastructure projects had to be put on hold, some in mid-stream, because REPUBLICAN Christie couldn't stand raising any taxes, even when the citizens wanted it! So the state suffered for years.

[LudwigPastorius]

4. What's the over/under on the over for this thing under the river?

I don't think any project can beat the Boston Big Dig, which was five times over budget.

Anyway, NY should nix this and save the money for the system of dams and locks it is going to need.

[BumRushDaShow]

5. This is for Amtrak to repair/replace/expand the dilapidated tunnels that carry the train tracks between NJ & NY

particularly after Hurricane/Super Storm Sandy did them in. Adding 2 more "tubes" would accommodate more through-trains.

Current constructed in 1910

https://www.hudsontunnelproject.com/