Gateway Project Takes Step Forward

Gateway Project Takes Step Forward

Federal and state officials have agreed on Nov. 11 to create a new corporation within the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to oversee the construction of new train tunnels under the Hudson River, according to multiple media outlets. The project has been identified as one of the most-needed infrastructure projects in the United States, and has been in planning stages for years.

There are currently two trans-Hudson tunnels – each more than 100 years old – which will need to be taken out of service and rehabbed at some point in the next 20 years. The tunnels are critical choke points on Amtrak’s heavily traveled Northeast Corridor, which carries 750,000 riders daily between Washington, D.C., and Boston.

Construction actually began but was shut down in 2010 by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie over concerns of who would pay for overruns. The project – which will be overseen by the Gateway Development Corp. – is expected to cost $20 billion and take 10 years to complete. According to reports, New York and New Jersey will each pay for 25 percent of the project, with the federal government covering 50 percent of the total project cost. When completed, the tunnel will double the current capacity between New York and New Jersey and provide redundancy in the event of a shutdown.

The Gateway Development Corp.’s board of directors will be composed of two representatives from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, one from Amtrak, and one from the federal Department of Transportation.

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