U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) says that the millions of dollars in the budget allocated to the Gateway Tunnel “another major victory” for “a project of national significance.”Â
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“This is another major victory that keeps the Gateway Project on the right track. Despite efforts by the Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans to derail Gateway and slash funding for Amtrak, our delegation was able to secure the same funding levels for Amtrak as we did a year ago amid threats of shutting down the government,” Menendez said in a statement.
“This funding is vital to moving this critical project forward to ensure the safety and reliability of our infrastructure and the hundreds of thousands who use it each day.”
A federal spending bill approved by Congress yesterday, which includes $650 million in Amtrak Northeast Corridor funding, a portion of which will be dedicated to Gateway, as well as an additional $130.1 million in transit formula grants that can be used to advance the project.
“ … Gateway is a project of national significance that directly impacts one-fifth of the nation’s economy. Millions of people and our entire region’s economy hinge on the continued viability of a century-old Portal Bridge that often breaks down and a deteriorating Hudson River rail tunnel that sustained significant damage from Superstorm Sandy,” he continued.
“While I’m proud of the progress we’ve made in the face of such unprecedented obstruction by this White House, we can complete Gateway faster and cheaper with the Administration fully on board. We are sitting on a transportation ticking time bomb and don’t have time for President Trump’s petty delays.â€
The project is expected to cost somewhere in the billions, with New Jersey expected to come up with at least $600 million towards the massive infrastructure improvement project.
