After More Than Three Years of Delays, Important Pre-Construction Work on the Project Can Begin
NEW YORK, NY - Today, the Build Gateway Now Coalition thanked the Biden Administration for advancing the Hudson Tunnel project by swiftly issuing a positive Record of Decision (ROD) on the tunnel’s Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The ROD - a crucial step forward for the project - allows important pre-construction work, such as property acquisition, to take place. The Hudson Tunnel Project - which involves the construction of a new Hudson River rail tunnel serving Penn Station New York and the rehabilitation of the existing Sandy-damaged North River Tunnel - has major national transportation implications.
In the more than three years since the Final Administrative Draft of the EIS was submitted to U.S. DOT in February of 2018, the Build Gateway Now Coalition has worked diligently to keep the Hudson Tunnel EIS in the public eye. The Coalition unveiled a “count-up clock” to mark the time that passed since the U.S. DOT’s own deadline at a press conference at New York Penn Station. The Build Gateway Now Coalition has also spoken with elected officials, sent letters to elected officials, and issued numerous public statements in support of advancing the Hudson Tunnel Project.
The Coalition looks forward to supporting the next steps in the project, including a full funding agreement for the Hudson Tunnel Project and the advancement of other Gateway Program elements. The Coalition will also support other major investments in our rail infrastructure, including the passage of the American Jobs Plan, which is essential to rebuilding our outdated and crumbling infrastructure.
“For decades, RPA has strongly advocated for better rail service between New York and New Jersey as a vital link that lifts up our regional and national economy,” said Tom Wright, President & CEO for the Regional Plan Association. “We are thrilled to see the environmental review process for the Hudson Tunnel project finally completed. RPA would like to thank Governors Murphy and Cuomo, Senators Schumer, Gillibrand, Booker, and Menendez, as well as the Congressional Delegations for both states for keeping this project in the public eye over the last three years. Our studies have shown just how essential building a new tunnel and effectively repairing the old tunnel are economically and for a good quality of life of our region. We look forward to continuing to push for the competition of the Hudson Tunnel project and other Gateway Program components in the years to come.”
“The New Jersey Chamber of Commerce believes the Gateway Program represents a significant and much needed upgrade to New Jersey’s transportation infrastructure,” said Tom Bracken, President & CEO of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce. “For New Jersey to remain a competitive state, we must be able to move people and products quickly and efficiently and the Gateway Program will do exactly that. The NJ Chamber thanks the Biden Administration for its quick work in completing and issuing the positive ROD. We hope the rest of the Gateway Program can proceed with equal speed and efficiency. In addition, the NJ Chamber thanks our state’s Congressional delegation for the tenacity and dedication it demonstrated in successfully advocating for the Gateway Project.”
“Gateway is a game-changer for the City, the Region and the Nation,” said General Contractors Association of NY’s Executive Director Robert G. Wessels. “It will take a system built for 20th Century travel and transform it into one that will meet the mobility needs of the 21st Century -- and beyond. We look forward to working with the Gateway Development Commission to turn this long-awaited concept into reality for the benefit of generations to come.”
“NAIOP New Jersey is heartened by the Biden Administration’s decision to advance the Hudson Tunnel project. This long-awaited moment will make our region more resilient to future disruptions and help us compete for jobs and talent in the post-COVID economy,” stated NAIOP CEO Michael McGuinness.
“The New York Building Congress applauds the Biden administration and Transportation Secretary Buttigieg for taking this positive step forward on the Gateway Program,” said Carlo A. Scissura, President and CEO of the New York Building Congress. “Getting our region back to normal shouldn’t mean the delayed, over-capacity commutes that far too many were accustomed to long before the pandemic. We must pass the American Jobs Plan to complete the Gateway Program, create tens of thousands of good jobs and get our economy moving like never before.”
Bob Briant, Jr., CEO of the Utility & Transportation Contractors Association said, “The economic stability of our region depends on our ability to efficiently move people, goods, and services across the Hudson River. The Gateway Project is critical to this mobility and as one of the largest public works projects in history, will also support tens of thousands of living wage jobs. New Jersey’s construction community looks forward to the opportunities this long-overdue project offers, and toward building a better future.”
“The Association for a Better New York (ABNY) thanks the Biden Administration for taking action to move this critical project forward. ABNY is grateful for the tireless work of New York’s Congressional delegation and our Coalition partners in making the Hudson River Tunnel project a reality. As we seek a better future for all New Yorkers, this project will enhance productivity, efficiency, safety, reliability, and opportunity for the 21st Century economy,” said Melva M. Miller, Chief Executive Officer, Association for a Better New York (ABNY).
“CIANJ knows that having safe, reliable infrastructure is crucial to our region’s economic health so we commend the Biden Administration for moving the Hudson Tunnel Project forward,” said Anthony Russo, President, Commerce & Industry Association of New Jersey. “This is a critical time for the Gateway Program as transit riders will be returning to the office and ridership will only increase in the coming months. In addition, the Hudson Tunnel Project will also create jobs at a time when many are looking for employment after the devastating impact of the pandemic on our regional economy. Our hope is that the Gateway Program continues to gain momentum and moves forward at this pace after many years of inaction and delays.”
“The Hudson Tunnel project lays the foundation for building a more resilient regional rail network and we are thrilled that the project is moving forward,” said Renae Reynolds, Executive Director of Tri-State Transportation Campaign. “Efficient and robust mass transit is mission critical to our against climate change. Without a new tunnel, the New York City region will not be able to substantially expand rail capacity, which means more traffic congestion on our region’s highways and roads and an increase in toxic tailpipe emissions in the air we all breathe.”
“While the pandemic resulted in reduced transit ridership, the need for transit never went away for essential workers. Now that the pandemic is under control, we are starting to see ridership come back, and transit-oriented development will again grow in importance,” said New Jersey Future Director of Research Tim Evans. “This news about the tunnel moving to the next phase couldn’t come soon enough, especially as we work to cut greenhouse gas emissions to stall the effects of climate change, and reliable alternatives to driving play an important role in this effort.”
“The single most important infrastructure project in America lays underneath the Hudson River. Our existing train tunnels -- built when the Titanic sailed its maiden voyage -- are crumbling, ravaged from the salt water of Hurricane Sandy’s storm surge. The failure to invest in Gateway during the Trump years created years of useless delays, but today we’re turning the page. The Biden Administration green light for Gateway is a win for expanding our rail infrastructure and capacity across New Jersey. As we recover from the pandemic, this is the time to invest in a mass transit future,” said Doug O’Malley, Director of Environment New Jersey.
“After such a lengthy wait, we are incredibly pleased the Biden Administration and Secretary Buttigieg have taken a huge step in moving the Hudson Tunnel project forward,” said Brian Fritsch, Campaign Manager of the Build Gateway Now Coalition. “Post-pandemic we simply can’t go back to the old days of overcrowded trains and massive delays due to old and failing infrastructure. We look forward to advancing all elements of the Gateway Program to make our region more competitive and put well over 80,000 people back to work building the infrastructure we need to thrive.”
About the Build Gateway Now Coalition
Build Gateway Now is a coalition of over 45 civic, labor, business, and elected groups who know Gateway is the nation’s most important infrastructure project and a critical priority for the nation’s economy. Learn more at buildgateway.org or follow us on Twitter @build_gateway.
Coalition members include: Regional Plan Association; ALM Consulting Group; Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU); Association for a Better New York (ABNY); Brookfield Properties; Central Jersey Transportation Forum; Commerce and Industry Association of New Jersey; Duane Morris LLP; ELEC825; Environmental Defense Fund (EDF); Environment NJ; General Contractors Association (GCA); HNTB; Housing Community Development Network of NJ; JPC Group, Inc.; Lotus Equity Group; Menlo Realty Ventures; NAIOP New Jersey; Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC); New Jersey Future; New Jersey State Chamber of Commerce; New Jersey League of Conservation Voters (NJLCV); New Jersey Policy Perspective; New York Building Congress; New York League of Conservation Voters (NYLCV); Newark Alliance; NEWARK Community Economic Development Corporation; Newark Regional Business Partnership; PACO Technologies Inc.; Partnership for NYC; Princeton University; Raritan Valley Line Mayor’s Alliance, Raritan Valley Rail Coalition; Riders Alliance; Right Track for Long Island Coalition; Siemens; Somerset County Business Partnership; Straphangers Campaign; Tantum Real Estate; The Durst Organization; The Related Companies; Tri-State Transportation Campaign; Two Trees; Utility & Transportation Contractors Association NJ (UTCA of NJ); Vornado Realty Trust; WSP, Yale University
