Gateway Tunnel Back On Track Under Biden, NJ Governor Says

NEW JERSEY — The long-heralded Gateway Project may be back on track after a near-derailment during the Trump Administration, Gov. Phil Murphy says.

On Friday, Murphy praised the Biden Administration for taking a renewed interest in the massive infrastructure project, which would build a two-track Hudson River rail tunnel from New Jersey to Manhattan. The project would also replace the "functionally obsolete" Portal Bridge over the Hackensack River.

The combined projects would help alleviate chronic delays on the aging Northeast Corridor, one of the most heavily used passenger railroad lines in the nation. The combined cost has been estimated as high as $30 billion. Learn more about the Gateway Program here.

State officials in New Jersey and New York have been trying to secure federal funding for the project for years, but met stiff resistance from transportation officials during the Trump Administration.

At the heart of the dispute was New Jersey and New York's plan to pay for half of the cost of the project, with the federal government matching the other half partly through loans.

• See related article: $13B Gateway Tunnel In Jeopardy; Feds Trash Obama-Era Deal

Since then, the project has been mired in the environmental review process and stuck behind a mile of red tape. But according to Murphy, the ball has started rolling again on the Hudson Tunnel aspect of the Gateway Project now that President Joe Biden is in office.

“The Biden Administration’s announcement of the impending May completion date for the Hudson Tunnel project’s final environmental impact statement and record of decision is a major step towards relief for New Jersey commuters,” Murphy said Friday.

“After years of stalled efforts under the Trump Administration, President Biden, Secretary Buttigieg, Acting FTA Administrator Fernandez, and Acting FRA Administrator Bose are making it clear that the Gateway Program and all of its components are a critical part of our nation’s infrastructure,” Murphy continued.

“Our administration has fought for new and safe tunnels since 2018 and we look forward to working with our regional and federal partners to build commuting and rail infrastructure that our commuters can depend on,” the governor concluded.

The estimated completion date of the environmental review and permitting is Oct. 1, 2021. The updated status of the project can be viewed on the federal permitting dashboard website.

The project has seen bipartisan support from New Jersey lawmakers, including U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill, a Democrat, and recently retired Rodney Frelinghuysen, the Republican who she replaced in District 11.

Brian Fritsch, manager for Build Gateway Now campaign, said the project has taken a significant step forward.

"After more than three years of counting the 1106 days since the previous administration refused to advance the project, we can now focus on other crucial steps including a full funding agreement between the Federal Government, New York and New Jersey," Fritsch said.

"While the Hudson Tunnel project is the biggest piece of the Gateway Program, we've seen a tremendous amount of momentum in a short amount of time for the entire program," Fritsch said. "With the Portal Bridge funding in place and New York State's recent $1.3 billion in the budget for Penn Station, there's finally hope for the busiest stretch of rail in North America."

• See related article: Gateway Program Could Fix Portal Bridge Breakdowns, Gov. Murphy Says
• See related article: NY, NJ, PA Residents Overwhelmingly Support Gateway Program, Poll Says

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