Gov. Christie Reverses ARC Decision: Rail Tunnel Back On Track

Monday, October 11, 2010 - 8:00am PDT by Irvin Dawid

Government / Politics, Infrastructure, Transportation, United States, New Jersey

Under pressure from DOT Secretary Ray LaHood, N.J. Gov. Chris Christie has authorized the Hudson River rail tunnel project known as ARC: Access to the Region's Core, to resume work. Key to the decision would have been the loss of $3 billion to N.J.

Sen. Lautenberg released this press report as soon as it was know of Christie's reversal after his meeting with LaHood.

"The Secretary was clear with Governor Christie: if this tunnel doesn't get built, the three billion dollars will go to other states. We can't allow that to happen," Lautenberg said.

Lautenberg was amongst the most vocal to react to the initial news of the Governor's halting the project in a press release Thursday (Oct. 7):

"Killing the ARC Tunnel will go down as one of the biggest public policy blunders in New Jersey's history. Without increased transportation options into Manhattan, New Jersey's economy will eventually be crippled," Senator Lautenberg said.

That decision was strongly criticized by NYT columnist Paul Krugman on Friday: "The End of the Tunnel": "So this was a terrible, shortsighted move from New Jersey's point of view. But that's not the whole cost. Canceling the tunnel was also a blow to national hopes of recovery, part of a pattern of penny-pinching that has played a large role in our continuing economic stagnation."

Thanks to Shannon Tracey

Full Story: Lautenberg: It's Time To Put The Tunnel Back On Track

Published on Friday, October 8, 2010 in Lautenberg Press Office

Comments

Correspondent

not quite 'back on track'

# Submitted by Irvin Dawid on 11 October 2010 - 11:54am

My apologies to Planetizen readers. The truth, from what I've since read, is that the Gov is "reconsidering his decision" under pressure from Hood. I think I let my hopes get
in front of the facts :-(

A good article from the New Jersey Star-Ledger: N.J. Gov. Chris Christie agrees to reconsider Hudson River tunnel project, also dated Friday, 10/08. "The fact that the ARC project is not financially viable and is expected to dramatically exceed its current budget remains unchanged," the governor said in a statement today.

"However, this afternoon Secretary LaHood presented several options to potentially salvage a trans Hudson tunnel project. At the secretary’s request, I’ve agreed to have executive director of NJ Transit Jim Weinstein and members from his team work with U.S. Department of Transportation staff to study those options over the next two weeks.”

Stay tuned! & once again, apologies for the 'false start'!
Irvin Dawid, Palo Alto, CA