The New Jersey Senate pressed the federal government on Sept. 24 to accept a funding proposal for a new $20 billion Gateway rail tunnel project.
The Senate passed a bipartisan resolution in a 38-0 vote that endorsed a plan pitched by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in which both states and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey would pay for 50% of the tunnel if the federal government picked up the other half. Under this initiative, the Port Authority would take the lead role in planning and funding the project, which is designed to add two new rail tunnels under the Hudson River, provide one-seat rides for commuters on all New Jersey Transit lines and double the Garden State’s ridership into Manhattan by 2040.
“The federal government should act immediately to provide funding and expedite this vital project,” said Senate President Steve Sweeney, D-Gloucester, who sponsored the resolution. “If one of the existing 105-year-old rail tunnels has to close for repairs before the Gateway tunnels are built, 150,000 rail passenger trips would be displaced daily.”
