Cuomo and Christie Ask for Federal Funding for Hudson River Tunnels

"Governor Christie and N.Y. Gov. Andrew Cuomo sent a joint letter to President Obama [pdf] Tuesday asking that the federal government provide grants to fund half the cost of a new commuter rail tunnel under the Hudson River," reports Melissa Hayes.

"In the letter the two governors said the Port Authority, New Jersey and New York would develop a financing plan for the other half of the project," adds Hayes.

The letter also asked for expedited environmental and planning approvals for the project, known now as the Gateway project, as proposed by Amtrak. The Gateway project would "carry commuter trains under the Hudson River to a new train station, which would be build next to Pen Station," according to Hayes. "The proposal also calls for a new rail yard in New Jersey and new tracks between Newark and New York Penn Station."