Amtrak, NJ Transit may revive Hudson River tunnel project

NJ Gov. Chris Christie, who cancelled the project last month

Amtrak and NJ Transit are in “exploratory” talks to resuscitate a plan to build another commuter rail tunnel between New Jersey and Midtown Manhattan, two weeks after the project was axed by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie because of its cost. According to the Star-Ledger, the nine-mile, Secauacus-West 34th Street tunnel known as Access to the Region’s Core would take at least 20 years to build if the plan were to be revived by the transit groups. Christie cancelled the project last month citing cost overruns of up to $5 billion, and in doing so, he gave up the chance to receive $3 billion in federal funding and another $3 billion in funding from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. The tunnel was originally supposed to be complete by 2018. Meanwhile, Amtrak has said it wants to have two more tunnels into New York Penn Station by 2030. “We do have a serious need for expanded transit into Manhattan, but riders shouldn’t hold their breath for this tunnel,” said transportation advocate Zoe Baldwin, of the Tri-State Transportation Campaign. “We went off track when we canceled ARC.” [Star-Ledger]

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