The following statement can be attributed to Tom Wright, President & CEO, Regional Plan Association.

Regional Plan Association and the Build Gateway Now coalition celebrate the historic news that the Hudson Tunnel Project will officially be fully funded, with the largest federal grant ever awarded to a mass transit project in the United States. Yesterday, the federal government gave the green light for the long-awaited Full Funding Grant Agreement, locking in an additional $6.8 billion of federal funding for the nation’s most urgent infrastructure project. This is the culmination of years, if not decades, of hard work and cooperation – from partners and stakeholders on both sides of the Hudson River and in Washington, D.C.

Building a new rail tunnel under the Hudson and refurbishing the existing North River Tunnel will bring transformative environmental, economic and social benefits to the region and the nation. The Full Funding Grant Agreement is the go-ahead we have been waiting on for years, and we cannot overstate the regional significance of this news. Thank you to President Biden, Senator Schumer and the elected leaders in New York and New Jersey who have played such a strong role in advancing this. Congratulations to the Gateway Development Commission on this incredible milestone – now, let’s get it built!