Governor Corzine makes Capital commitment for new Trans-Hudson
commuter rail tunnel
Applauds united
support from New Jersey and New York senators
(Newark)-
Governor Jon S. Corzine today made a nearly $500 million
transportation capital program commitment for the new Trans-Hudson
Express Tunnel (THE Tunnel), reaffirming his determination to
build the project that will double rail capacity between New Jersey
and New York over the next decade.
" I first
want to thank Senators Lautenberg, Menendez, Clinton and Schumer
for their continued support of t he Trans-Hudson Express Tunnel
project . This critical project will spur economic growth, reduce
congestion and generate new jobs , " said Governor Corzine. "I
have included $500 million for THE Tunnel in the Transportation
Trust Fund to get shovels in the ground as soon as possible. This
project is vital to the State's economic future , and I am committed
to its timely completion."
The Governor
appeared today with DOT Commissioner Kris Kolluri, Port Authority
Chairman Anthony Coscia and NJ TRANSIT Executive Director George
Warrington for the Governor's Annual Transportation Conference
in Trenton.
"The Trans-Hudson
Express Tunnel is the most important transportation project we've
seen in a generation to ensure continued economic growth, not
only for New Jersey, but for the entire region," Commissioner
Kolluri said.
Shortly after the announcement,
Senators Lautenberg, Menendez, Clinton and Schumer expressed their
united, bi-state support for the project in a joint letter to
Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta.
"Our current
transportation infrastructure will soon be unable to accommodate
passenger rail demand for crossing the Hudson River," the Senators
wrote. "Without timely completion of THE Tunnel, our region's
economic health will be at risk."
"Under the
Governor's leadership, we are moving beyond decades of talk and
a decade of planning," said NJ TRANSIT Executive Director George
D. Warrington. "We are at the point where today we are pulling
triggers to launch real engineering and real construction."
Speaking at
today's event, Port Authority Chairman Anthony Coscia said he
is committed to securing a multi-billion dollar investment in
the project as part of the Port Authority's capital program.
"This project
is the cornerstone of our region's future growth," Coscia said.
"It is the type of project that only the Port Authority can facilitate
and I am strongly committed to continuing to working with our
state and federal partners to ensure its success."
Within the
next two months, NJ TRANSIT expects to receive permission from
the Federal Transit Administration to begin preliminary engineering
on the project, awarding a contract as early as July. The preliminary
engineering work will determine the tunneling technique, construction
staging, property acquisition needs, utility relocation requirements
and other logistical considerations.
Tunnel construction
is expected to begin by 2009 with completion before 2016.
The project
has broad support on both sides of the Hudson River from business,
environmental, labor, transportation and planning organizations,
including the New Jersey Alliance for Action and New York Building
Congress. The project has also received support from city and
state officials including Governor George Pataki, Mayor Bloomberg's
Administration and, most recently, Attorney General Eliot Spitzer.
About
the Trans-Hudson Express Tunnel
THE Tunnel
is the centerpiece of the Access to the Region's Core program,
which includes a state-of-the-art two-track tunnel under the Hudson
River (THE Tunnel), and a new rail terminal under 34 th Street
adjacent to the current Penn Station. The program also includes
new track capacity on the Northeast Corridor and a connection
to rail lines serving residents of Bergen, Passaic, Rockland and
Orange counties, giving customers in those counties a one-seat
ride to Manhattan. Raritan Valley Line customers will also benefit
from a one-seat ride.
By reducing
constraints on the transportation system, THE Tunnel will have
important long-term positive benefits for the economies and regional
competitiveness of both New Jersey and New York. Increases in
NJ TRANSIT service between New Jersey and New York will also yield
economic benefits.
In addition,
during the construction of THE Tunnel, New Jersey and New York
will share economic benefits as a result of the creation of approximately
6,000 construction-related jobs each year. Construction will generate
real personal income within the bi-state region in excess of $2.7
billion in 2004 dollars.
Today, roughly
half of all Manhattan-bound commuters cross the Hudson River to
get to work.
