Biden Would Finally Get the Gateway Project Moving, Advocates Say

A group of regional experts and advocates provide details on how a win by former Vice President Joe Biden might change the direction of the Gateway Project to repair the rail link between New Jersey and New York.

1 minute read

October 14, 2020, 11:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


New York New Jersey Transit

BravoKiloVide / Shutterstock

"A win by Democratic candidate Joe Biden in the presidential election might create a smoother path toward completing proposed upgrades to a 110-year-old tunnel linking Manhattan and northern New Jersey that have hit roadblocks under President Trump," writes Andrew Coen.

Coen cites numerous advocates to provide evidence for this claim, while also providing the history of the Gateway Program during the Trump administration. Coen cites Brian Fritsch, a manager of advocacy campaigns at the Regional Plan Association, for insight into how a Biden presidency might change the fate of the program.

Brian Fritsch, a manager of advocacy campaigns at the Regional Plan Association, said Biden has given strong indications he would support advancing the project in his infrastructure plan unveiled this year, which calls for increased investment in transit, roads and bridges. Having been vice president when the original federal funding agreement for Gateway was crafted would also bode well for Biden greenlighting the project, he added.

Another expert cited in the article, Regina Egea, president of the conservative-leaning Garden State Initiative, makes the case that New Jersey could contribute to the program by advancing—with or without the federal government—a $1.5 billion project to replace the Portal Bridge, which crosses the Hackensack River and connects to the Hudson River tunnel.

Friday, October 9, 2020 in The Bond Buyer

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight