Joined by New York and New Jersey officials, President Joe Biden (D) announced a $292 million grant for the massive $16 billion Gateway Tunnel, which is seeking to expand and improve the rail line between Newark and NYC.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“It is incredible to be back with the president and I want to thank him for his continued committed to what is unequivocally the most important infrastructure project in our country, the Gateway Program,” Gov. Phil Murphy (D) said.
“I was honored to stand with the president in the fall of ’21 on the other side of the Hudson when we kicked off the work to build the new Portal North Bridge. But the tracks that will be laid on that span won’t end there: they will come through this new tunnel.”
Biden came to Kearny in late October of 2021 to tout his $2 trillion infrastructure bills that eventually cleared the House and Senate, making today’s grant allocation possible.
The grant will go to Amtrak and partly fund the final section of concrete casing – also known as the Hudson Yards “tunnel box” – intended to preserve the future Gateway route, the president said.
“It’s an honor to be here as we mark the next phase of the Gateway Program and the expansion of the Northeast Corridor. It was 12 years ago today, almost to the day, when I joined Amtrak officials and then the late-Senator Frank Lautenberg to unveil our plan for a new railway link between the Garden State and the Empire state,” explained U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ).
“Our journey since that press conference in 2011 has been long and winding, but today it brings me immense pleasure to say we’re finally getting it done. We’re getting it done because of this president, a great president who helped pass the greatest infrastructure program since Eisenhower created the National Highway System.”
His son, U.S. Rep. Rob Menendez (D-8), said in a statement that this is a vital investment for the entire northeast region.
“Our century-old North River Tunnels are at serious risk of catastrophic failure, which we cannot and will not allow to happen,” he said.
“The Hudson River Tunnel Project will not only provide relief to commuters on the Northeast Corridor but will also create 72,000 well-paying jobs. As a Member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I look forward to continuing the important work to ensure that this project is funded and completed as soon as possible.”
During his remarks, Biden said that the project, which has an estimated cost of $646 million for the current phase, will improve transit reliability for 200,000 weekday commuters from New York and New Jersey.
“While others tried to shut this down, we made it clear that this is a national priority and I told you that we’d get this done and we did it together,” he stated.
” … Let me say this from the onset: this is just the beginning for finally constructing a 21st century rail system that’s long, long overdue in this country. This project is critical to transforming the Northeast Corridor, increasing speeds, capacity, reliability, and safety.”
Other dignitaries on hand included U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), New Jersey U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-5), and New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
$16,000,000,000 – $262,000,000 = Chump Change
What will it end up costing New Jersey taxpayers ?
Yes, correct, it’s chump change and people are fleeing the area to escape the draconian policies here. They prefer freedom.
take your whining hyperboles with you.
What, and leave you and your pals to lie, cheat and steal more?
This is so great! Finally Hoboken is getting it’s second path station, this one uptown!
Win-win!