The Biden-Harris Administration has announced a major breakthrough in the revitalization and expansion of the Northeast Rail Corridor with the initiation of the Engineering phase for the Hudson River Tunnel (HRT) project between New York and New Jersey. According to a release on July 6, the development is a significant step toward modernizing one of the nation’s most significant infrastructure projects, and Secretary of Transportation Peter Buttigieg touted the project.
“Today, we are proud to announce that the Hudson River Tunnel project is entering the Engineering phase, moving us a huge step closer to finally revitalizing and expanding this century-old piece of American infrastructure,” said Buttigieg.
The achievement was made possible through the implementation of the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The Gateway Development Commission (GDC) is responsible for overseeing the project, according to the release. They received approval for the entry into the engineering phase of the FTA Capital Investment Grants (CIG) program, which is a milestone in the project’s timeline as it sets things up for the subsequent phase.
The Hudson River Tunnel project includes building a two-track rail tunnel from the Bergen Palisades in New Jersey to Manhattan. The expansion will directly serve New York Penn Station and also involve the rehabilitation of the North River Tunnel. Also, the project will create about 5,000 new affordable housing units in the Hudson Yards area. This project has a focus on improving the transit services provided by New Jersey Transit and Amtrak, which benefits a region that has more than 20% of the U.S. economy.
According to the release, the Federal Transit Administration anticipates committing $6.88 billion to the Hudson River Tunnel project, subject to Congress’s annual appropriation of funds. The press release noted that the overall cost is about $17.18 billion.
The project will help transportation services, stimulate economic growth and ensure the efficient movement of goods and people, the release stated. The release noted that the project is very significant, as closure of the North River Tunnel for one day could cost the United States over $100 million.
“Hundreds of thousands of Americans travel under the Hudson River every day, not just between New York and New Jersey but between points all along the East Coast," said FTA Administrator Nuria Fernandez. "FTA is proud to invest in the Hudson River Tunnel, through the CIG program, so these rails can continue to carry millions of people and billions of dollars that help define our country's economy every year."
