By Lynda Myer
The current year is the date of commencing construction on New York’s Gateway Tunnel, following announcement of President Biden about a US$292m (£237m) grant for this project during a visit to Manhattan on 31 January.
According to the Gateway Development Commission (GDC), the bi-state public authority charged with overseeing the Gateway Program to upgrade train infrastructure between New York and New Jersey: “With President Biden’s support and tireless work, Gateway will start active construction this year to deliver a more reliable, climate resilient, 21st century rail link for the region and the nation.”
Including building of a new two-tube tunnel with 2.4-mile length beneath the Hudson River, this project is refurbishing Amtrak’s existing 112-year-old North River rail tunnel, which was badly damaged by Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor is the most heavily-used passenger rail line in the US.
“It is one of the biggest and most consequential projects in the country,” said Biden in his interview with New York and New Jersey elected leaders.
Due to inflationary pressures and supply chain issues, GDC stated that the tunnel’s cost had increased by US$2bn to US$16bn in previous autumn last year.
While the GDC announced it was seeking a delivery partner for the Hudson Tunnel project in December 2022, news of the US$292m grant came a day after Biden visited Baltimore where he announced the State of Maryland and Amtrak had concluded an agreement, which includes a US$450m (£363m) commitment from the state’s transportation agency for the Baltimore-Potomac tunnel replacement project. The estimated cost for whole of this program is around US$6bn (£4.84bn), whereas the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding could contribute up to US$4.7bn (£3.61bn).
