NEW YORK, NY — FEBRUARY 4, 2026 — Business, labor and rider advocate leaders today sent a letter to President Trump calling on him to immediately release the funds for the Gateway Program. Frozen since October of last year, the Gateway Program is at risk of a catastrophic work stoppage if the funds are not released by February 6.
Signatories span the tri-state region including chambers of commerce, local labor unions, and transportation advocates stressing the substantial risks to jobs and economic vitality of the tri-state region.
Full letter text is included below:
February 4, 2026
The President
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, D.C. 20500
President Trump,
On behalf of the undersigned business and labor organizations, we write to express our strong support for the Gateway Program and to urge the federal government to lift the current pause on its most critical component- the Hudson Tunnel Project. The Hudson Tunnel Project is the most urgent infrastructure project in the nation; it is the foundation of economic growth, job creation, and long-term competitiveness for the entire Northeast Corridor, which contributes 30% of nationwide jobs and makes up 20% of U.S. GDP.
The existing North River Tunnels under the Hudson River are more than 115 years old and were severely damaged by Superstorm Sandy, yet they support more than 200,000 riders each day and are a critical link between New Jersey and New York City. A disruption or prolonged closure of even one tunnel would have devastating consequences for the regional and national economy. The Gateway Program is the only viable path forward to secure this vital piece of infrastructure and ensure that residents up and down the Northeast Corridor can rely on a safe, reliable, and resilient transportation network.
For the business community, Gateway represents billions of dollars in economic output and the foundation of daily commerce across the Northeast. For labor, it means tens of thousands of good-paying, union jobs, both in the near term through construction and in the long term through sustained regional growth. Pausing Gateway now, after years of bipartisan progress and investment, would jeopardize both the economic and human capital that depend on its timely completion. The work on this project so far has been an incredible success, and a new two-track crossing is already under construction, creating jobs and securing the region’s future. Gateway is on time, and under budget. GDC CEO Tom Prendergast is a long-time transit veteran with a track record of success, who has demonstrated time after time that he has a unique ability to get large infrastructure projects completed successfully.
There are currently five active projects with 1,000 workers that would be out of work immediately, in the event of a pause in construction. In total, construction will generate 95,000 jobs and $19.6 billion in economic activity over the life of the projects. A funding delay will force these workers to demobilize which will only drive up the cost of the project and push back the schedule of this critical piece of infrastructure.
We urge the Administration to reaffirm its commitment to Gateway and resume full funding without delay. The costs of inaction, economic disruption, job loss, and long-term competitiveness put our region at risk. The business community and labor stand ready to partner with federal and state leaders to keep Gateway moving forward.
Thank you for your attention to this critical matter and for your continued support of infrastructure that keeps America’s economy strong.
Signed by:
Tom Bracken
President and CEO, NJ State Chamber of Commerce
Jun Choi
CEO, Menlo Realty Ventures
Lisa Daglian
Executive Director, Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA (PCAC)
John T. Evers, PhD
President and CEO, American Council of Engineering Companies of New York
Felice Farber
Executive Director, Subcontractors Trade Association
Joe Fiordaliso
President of ACEC New Jersey
Steven Fulop
President and CEO, Partnership for New York City
Mike Hellstrom
VP and Eastern Regional Manager, Laborers’ International Union of North America
Gary LaBarbera
President, Building & Construction Trades Council of Greater New York and Vicinity
Jesse Lazar
Executive Director, American Institute of Architects New York (AIANY)
Mark Jackson
Government Affairs Committee Chair, NAIOP NYC Metro
Peter Kasabach
Executive Director, New Jersey Future
Dan Kennedy
CEO, NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association - NJ Chapter
Greg Lalevee
Business Manager, International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 825
Emma Pfohman
CEO, Association for a Better New York
Betsy Plum
Executive Director, Riders Alliance
David P. Rible
Chief Executive Officer, Utility Transportation Contractors Association
Renae Reynolds
Executive Director, Tri-State Transportation Campaign
Anthony Russo
President, Commerce and Industry Association of New Jersey
Carlo A. Scissura, Esq.
President & CEO, New York Building Congress
Michael Sweeney
Executive Vice President, HNTB Corporation
Robert G. Wessels
Executive Director, General Contractors Association of NY, Inc.
Tom Wright
President and CEO, Regional Plan Association
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About Regional Plan Association
Regional Plan Association (RPA) is an independent non-profit organization that conducts research, planning and advocacy to expand economic opportunity, environmental resiliency, improved health, and better quality of life in the New York metropolitan area. Since the 1920s, RPA has produced four landmark plans for the region. The most recent was released in November 2017. For more information, please visit www.rpa.org.
