In an editorial, U.S. Rep. Rob Menendez (D-8) explains why “continued investments in our infrastructure should be our common ground” as the Biden-Harris Administration nears a conclusion.
Three years ago, under the leadership of the Biden-Harris Administration, we celebrated the passage of a once-in-a-generation investment in our future: the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
To this day, we are investing hundreds of billions of dollars in our roads, bridges, railways, and airports. And every community across America is benefitting – including our great state.
Now, as we face the uncertainty of the months and years ahead, I believe that continued investments in our infrastructure should be our common ground.
We’ve proven that strengthening public transportation and building resilient infrastructure are achievable and improve the lives of all Americans. As we look ahead, I’m going to fight to continue this progress.
Our region is home to the largest federal investment in public transit in our nation’s history, the Hudson Tunnel Project.
This $16 billion project, and the broader Gateway Program, are proof that infrastructure investments benefit everyone in our communities – and that we can get them done on a bipartisan basis.
To understand the urgent need for continued action, we don’t have to look far. Over the summer, New Jerseyans who rely on public transportation faced an all too familiar reality: delays, cancellations, and growing frustration with an unreliable transit system.
For people all across the region, this means an unreliable commute. As the father of two young kids, I know how important it is to leave for work in the morning and know that you will be able to reliably get home in the evening.
By adding a second tunnel underneath the Hudson River, we can mitigate these delays and cancellations and build resiliency and redundancy in our existing infrastructure. When Superstorm Sandy flooded the current tunnel in 2012, it left a lasting impact.
The new Hudson Tunnel Project will add capacity to make necessary repairs to the existing tunnel — reducing delays and cancellations for the thousands of commuters who rely on these rails every day.
As a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I’ve been proud to play a role in ensuring that these investments make their way to our district and our state.
The federal government has committed $11 billion to the Hudson Tunnel Project, more than half of the entire cost. And we’re also making more targeted investments in projects throughout the state, including in our roads, ports, and airports.
Throughout this all, New Jerseyans are benefiting. For every dollar we invest in public transportation, we create five dollars in economic returns. And the Hudson Tunnel Project alone will create more than 95,000 jobs.
These are good-paying, often union jobs, which are playing a key role in building the green, resilient economy that the American people have rightfully demanded.
These clean energy jobs pay higher wages and provide good benefits, with research showing that they can lead to an eight to 19 percent income increase.
More than three quarters of these jobs don’t require a four-year college degree — meaning they’re accessible to more New Jerseyans.
The leadership of House Democrats has brought enormous progress on infrastructure over the last several years. In the coming months and years, Republican leadership hasthe chance to build on these achievements.
Regardless of who is in charge, I’ll urge my colleagues to prioritize transportation legislation that continues to focus on investments in our infrastructure and mass transit systems.
When we make this a priority, we all benefit. That’s the future that I want for us all, my children and yours.
