Gateway, and the Dawn of the “Trump-Proof” Infrastructure Era

Last October, the Trump administration paused contractually obligated funding for Amtrak’s Gateway Tunnel Project, which would build two new rail tunnels under the Hudson River and rehabilitate the existing North River Tunnels, in service since 1910 and heavily damaged by Hurricane Sandy. After the project ran out of money on February 6th and more than 1,000 workers were sent home, a federal judge ordered to reverse the stoppage, releasing funds and allowing work to resume. 

Tom Wright, President and CEO of the Regional Plan Association (RPA), spoke unequivocally about the matter at a webinar, Gateway at Risk: “This sets a dangerous national precedent.” If the federal government can renege on any commitment it has made, he posed, “what does that mean for large scale infrastructure projects nationwide? How is a company going to bid on a project not having full confidence that the federal government would honor its obligations, not knowing if the financing is clear?” California, following the cancellation of $4 billion in grant funding for California High Speed Rail, has decided that “the federal government is not a reliable, constructive, or trustworthy partner.” New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has also spoken about the need to “Trump-proof” the city’s economy due to the federal government’s instability.

Infrastructure projects such as Gateway are not like tariffs, which can be raised one day and lowered the next. They require long timelines, big budgets, and consistent commitment. The costs of even a six-month delay, the RPA estimated, could cost in the range of $720 million to $1.34 billion. The costs of tunnel failure would be even more disastrous. If one of the existing tunnels were to shut down, train capacity would decrease 75 percent, causing an estimated $16 billion impact to the local economy, and a decline of property values of around $22 billion. But these impacts are felt beyond dollars. This would have impacts beyond the nearly 200,000 daily commuters that rely on the tunnels. 250,000 drivers, nearly half of whom drive outside of Manhattan, would have longer commutes, with over half of commutes increasing by 30 minutes or more. This means less time that parents can spend with their children and loved ones, missing dinners, football games, and dance recitals.

While the crisis appears to have been averted for now, this administration has shown it is willing to use infrastructure funding to threaten the livelihoods of millions of Americans. The Gateway Tunnel is not an abstraction, nor does its importance fluctuate with election cycles; it is necessary relief for a century-old artery in the busiest rail corridor in the country. The Trump administration often speaks of renewal and greatness, but greatness is not measured by reverence for past achievements. It is measured by the willingness to achieve new great things. A country does not become strong by pointing at bridges its grandfathers built. It becomes strong by building bridges (or tunnels) that its grandchildren will inherit.

Julian Wexer is a planner at Topology. Growing up in New York City, Julian has always been aware of the importance of vibrant, walkable spaces and carries this sensibility with him in his career as a planner. Julian works to create more livable places through effective and holistic land use implementation, where his work focuses on land use applications, zoning, and zoning officer.