Hudson County secures over $4.2B for infrastructure projects, $3.8B for Hudson Tunnel

1

Hudson County has secured $4,233,511,430 in federal funding for infrastructure projects, with $3,799,999,820 going towards the Hudson Tunnel, members of the New Jersey congressional delegation announced today.

Photo via gatewayprogram.org.

By John Heinis/Hudson County View

“Under President Biden, we are finally delivering the generational investments in passenger rail that Americans have wanted for years, including modernizing the busiest rail corridor in the country,” U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement.

“These investments will make our busiest passenger railroad safer, faster, and more reliable, which means fewer delays and shorter commutes for the 800,000 passengers who rely on the Northeast Corridor every day.”

U.S. Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-5), Rob Menendez (D-8), Bill Pascrell (D-9), Donald Payne,(D-10), joined by U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) announced the $4 billion in Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) grant awards for Northeast Corridor (NEC) Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Program projects at a presser in Newark.

The projects are funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).

“Today, I am proud to announce over $4 billion in Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funding that will transform the passenger experience along the Northeast Corridor,” Menendez added.

“These funds will make the nation’s busiest rail line more resilient and reliable for the millions of passengers that use it every year. Thanks to the partnership of the Biden Administration, Governor Murphy, and our Congressional Delegation, this is the start of a new era of infrastructure investment.”

The Gateway Development Commission for the Hudson Tunnel project will receive $3,799,999,820 to design and construct the Hudson River Tunnel project while reconstructing the existing North River tunnels.

These improvements will increase capacity for commuters along the Northeast Corridor, providing New Jerseyans with more reliable and safer train service.

“Today brings us a giant step closer to constructing the new trans-Hudson tunnel we have sought for so many years,” Pascrell noted.

“The only thing New Jersey commuters hate more than traffic and rail suspensions are the political and bureaucratic delays that have plagued this desperately needed project for years.”

The Dock Bridge project will receive $300,184,000 to reconstruct the bridge which crosses the Passaic River between Newark and Harrison to improve the intercity, commuter, and transit services for Amtrak, New Jersey Transit, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

Additionally, the Sawtooth Bridges Replacement project in Kearny will receive $133,327,610 to replace the current crossover between the New Jersey Transit Morris & Essex Line and the Conrail Center Street Branch while also developing critical path and early-action activities.

“The billions in federal funding announced today for Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor is a major step forward in improving one of our nation’s most important intercity and commuter passageways,” U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) added in his own statement.

“This funding will help facilitate critical projects across the state, including billions of dollars for the new Hudson River tunnels and other projects under the Gateway program. I’ve stood at the forefront of the charge to modernize and expand public transit throughout the state, and these infrastructure projects are a necessary investment New Jerseyans across the state need to facilitate their daily commutes.”


Warning: A non-numeric value encountered in /home/hcvcp/public_html/wp-content/themes/Hudson County View/includes/wp_booster/td_block.php on line 353

1 COMMENT

LEAVE A REPLY