Gateway Program Encounters Barrier in Trump

"The Gateway Program is a transportation project intended to fix the crumbling infrastructure carrying roughly 200,000 daily of commuters between New Jersey and New York through the Hudson River Tunnel," Adriana Belmonte writes. As such, many see it as critical to a well-functioning national economy.

State, local, and congressional stakeholders are seemingly onboard. However, as we've seen, President Trump has resisted the provision of federal funding for the project, reportedly using it as a political bargaining chip in his conflicts with Democrats over the border wall and other issues.

Inaction on the project could have national consequences. "A recent report from the Regional Plan Association warned that a partial Hudson River Tunnel shutdown without a new tunnel 'would cost the national economy $16 billion, reduce home values by $22 billion, and lead to decreased economic productivity, job losses, increased congestion, and crashes across the northeastern United States.'"

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