The much-needed Amtrak Gateway project to replace the century-old railroad tunnels under the Hudson River between New Jersey and Manhattan received its first financial injection plus some good planning news that will expedite the $20 billion project.
"A project to build new Hudson River rail tunnels will get a $70 million boost from Amtrak and the Port Authority for preliminary work, while federal officials agreed to fast track an environmental review to buy time and save money," writes Larry Higgs, commuting reporter for NJ Advance Media for NJ.com.
"This is huge. It is a significant step," said U.S. Senator Cory Booker, D-NJ [ranking member of the Senate Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety and Security, which oversees America's rail infrastructure]. "We're farther down the field than I thought we'd be last summer."
Transportation agencies are in a race against time to start the $20 billion Gateway Project before one of two 106-year-old tunnels has to be taken out of service to repair flood damage, which would severely disrupt commuter rail service.
New Jersey Transit commuters and Amtrak patrons got a taste of what awaits when electrical problems cause both tunnels to initially shut down both tunnels last July, causing three days of major delays. As readers may know, electrical problems besieged the much younger metro systems in Washington and the Bay Area. Unlike the latter, the cause of the problem in the Hudson River tunnels is known: "seawater and salt (from Superstorm Sandy in 2012) that inundated the tunnels (and) ate away at concrete bench walls where the signal and power cables are held," notes a July post.
Higgs write that Wednesday's announcement of the $70 million from the two agencies "marks the first major progress on the tunnel project since Govs. Chris Christie and Andrew Cuomo announced a funding agreement between the states and federal government."
As recent posts in "related" below indicate, there has been much progress since a May 9 summit, organized by the Regional Plan Association and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (summarized here), though this appears to be the first time we've seen the announcement of funding. "Amtrak has directed more than $300 million, mostly from federal sources," to the $20 billion project, notes the Gateway website.
Expedited federal environmental review
"U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx announced that the department will commit the necessary resources and take steps to accelerate federal environmental reviews and permitting for the Hudson Tunnel Project," notes the Port Authority's press release.
FULL STORY: New Hudson River rail tunnels take big step forward
Amtrak Gateway Planning Is Coming Together
Initial planning steps toward replacement of the 105-year-old tunnels under the Hudson River between New Jersey and New York's Penn Station are underway, with New Jersey Transit, Amtrak, and the Port Authority of N.Y & N.J. all playing key roles.
Financing of Hudson River Rail Tunnels in Peril
A funding agreement between New York, New Jersey, and the U.S. DOT for one of the most important rail projects in the nation is in danger of collapsing because of the way the two states are financing their share of the $12.9 billion cost.
New Corporation Formed to Replace Amtrak's Hudson River Rail Tunnels
The Gateway Development Corporation will be formed by Amtrak, the U.S. Department of Transportation, New York, and New Jersey to replace the deteriorating 105-year-old Hudson River rail tunnels, a vital project that could cost $20 billion.
Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?
Cal Fire Chatbot Fails to Answer Basic Questions
An AI chatbot designed to provide information about wildfires can’t answer questions about evacuation orders, among other problems.
What Happens if Trump Kills Section 8?
The Trump admin aims to slash federal rental aid by nearly half and shift distribution to states. Experts warn this could spike homelessness and destabilize communities nationwide.
Sean Duffy Targets Rainbow Crosswalks in Road Safety Efforts
Despite evidence that colorful crosswalks actually improve intersection safety — and the lack of almost any crosswalks at all on the nation’s most dangerous arterial roads — U.S. Transportation Secretary Duffy is calling on states to remove them.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie