NEW YORK — New Northeast Corridor tunnels connecting New Jersey to New York’s Penn Station will not be completed before 2035 — three years later than previously planned — and will cost at least $2 billion more than previously projected, the commission overseeing the project said last week.
The New York Times reports that the cost of the Gateway Tunnel project will rise to $16.1 billion, and the delay with the new tunnels under the Hudson River mean rehabilitation of the existing tunnels — significantly damaged during Hurricane Sandy — would not be complete until 2038, also three years later than prior projections.
The website amNY.com reports officials from the Gateway Development Commission, created by the states of New York and New Jersey to manage the project, blame the delays and cost increases on the project’s inability to advance during the Trump administration, addition of more time to the schedule to allow for problems, inflation, and rising interest rates.
The commission hopes to cover some of the additional costs with money from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. New York and New Jersey would cover the remainder.
The long-discussed project achieved a milestone last December when it received federal clearance allowing construction [see “Hudson Tunnel project gets federal permit,” Trains News Wire, Dec. 2, 2021], while the governors of New York and New Jersey agreed on how to fund the project earlier this year [see “New York, New Jersey sign agreement …,” News Wire, July 7, 2022].
Also, I don’t expect the Powers That Be from developing the necessary smarts to keep those tunnels from flooding again at the next Big Storm. A Great Hurricane of 1821 hitting again at high tide would KILL NYC–that 1821 storm hit an hour of two AFTER low tide and NYC lucked out with another storm in 1894 also at low tide. Spending trillions on “Man-made Climate Change” isn’t going to work! Christie’s “no overtime” policy on NJ Transit meant an entire new fleet of loks got ruined to over $300 million because no one moved them from the Jersey Marshes. Insurance company fought valiantly but NJ and Christie suckered them mightily so everyone else pays for NJ stupidity. A brand-new tunnel that gets flooded will get ruined too.
Interesting historical question: did the North River Tunnels ever get flooded before 2012?
Here we go again. My Dad lived to 102; I’m 70 now. Maybe I’ll see this all finished–but I doubt it.
The unmentioned real cause of the congestion problem is re-routing so many trains from Hoboken to Penn Station; this is something that didn’t happen until almost the 21st century! If we limited the “Lackawanna” trains (Sacred to the Memory of the DC Electrics now in so many museums–I LOVED the DL&W Electrification!) into Penn Station or eliminated them entirely and made people take the Hudson Tubes (H&M) or the ferries the project could become much easier.
The real problem is something needs to be done, and soon.
When it comes to infrastructure projects in the east and west, take the estimate, add 10 years and multiply the cost by a minimum of three. Then and only then will it be anything close to accurate.
Would it be just better in the long run to build three or four new ones rather than building two new ones and “rehabing” the old ones? An “rehabed” old tunnel is still an old tunnel, right?
“A billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon you’re talking real money.” Sen. Everett McKinley Dirksen (R-Ill.)
Anybody remember when it was a million here, a million there?
All talk, endless surveys, studies, plans etc and we are no closer to seeing the first shovel of earth dug to begin work on the new Hudson River tunnels. In the meantime there is a nice new and shiny Penn Station but only worn out storm damaged tunnels to connect the station to. The orginal planners and enginners who built the orginal Penn Station and the tunnels both under the Hudson River and East River must be turning over in their graves to see the way things are built and the snail’s pace of this modern era. Or should I say all talk and no action yields nothing
Joseph C.Markfelder
Start construction now. First item is start moving utilities now!!!
Actually that’s the second item. Acquiring and clearly real estate is first.
Do the first this year (real estate) and the second (utilities) over the next two years.
Guess it won’t be in my lifetime. Can you imagine this happening back in the 1900’s?? The PRR built both tunnels in 4 years 1904-1908 and they were in full operation by 1910. From 1910 to 2035 they will be 125 years old.
It always takes more time and resources to rebuild something than building it the first time.
Of course, Thomas. What you say is true. Anyone involved in construction would agree with you. All the more reason to get busy and get this started. It won’t get easier or cheaper if delayed.