New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed legislation establishing the Gateway Development Commission to build two new rail tunnels beneath the Hudson River, reports the New York Daily News.
The $30 billion Gateway Program includes digging two new rail tunnels beneath the river, repairing the two 109-year-old tubes that were damaged during Hurricane Sandy and replacing the Portal North Bridge, which carries trains above the Hackensack River in New Jersey.
The project also includes the construction of a new Penn Station South, which would require an entire block of midtown to be razed.
“The current Hudson River train tunnels are in dire condition, and it’s only a matter of time before one or both tubes fail. Building the new Hudson Tunnel Project is the single most important infrastructure project in our nation, but the Trump administration has abdicated its responsibility by failing to pay their fair share to replace this federally-owned asset,” the governors said in a statement.
“While the Trump administration continues to put politics ahead of the safety and economic security of the nation, New York and New Jersey are working together to get the job done. The signing of this legislation will statutorily create the Gateway Development Commission as a bi-state entity to facilitate the new Hudson Tunnel Project,” they noted.
