Senate offers Gateway Tunnel modest funding
Written by William C. Vantuono, Editor-in-ChiefThe Senate on Tuesday approved $15 million for Amtrak to begin design and engineering work on the railroad’s Gateway Tunnel project, proposed earlier this year to expand capacity on Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor under the Hudson River and through a portion of New Jersey.
Amtrak had initially requested $50 million for the study, but in a statement tacitly acknowledged that the railroad was fortunate to receive any funding at all, given the pressures to reduce federal spending.
"Today’s announcement also brings us one step closer to Gateway’s desired goal—expanding track and station capacity necessary to enable Amtrak’s next generation high-speed rail plan and support improved service for thousands of Amtrak and New Jersey Transit passengers traveling between New York and New Jersey each day," Amtrak said in a statement.
Funding support in the House is far from certain, however.
Numerous press reports identify Gateway Tunnel as a “replacement” for Access to the Region’s Core, a decade-plus effort to add tunnels under the Hudson River which was terminated late last year by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. But numerous rail advocates in New Jersey, as well as some rail industry officials speaking privately to Railway Age, point out the two projects are in fact quite different in scope and intent.
Interviewed by nj.com, Petra Todorovich, director of America 2050, said: "The way I see it is the ARC tunnel was primarily… regional commuter rail with side benefits for inter-city rail. The Gateway tunnel is more of a project focused on inter-city rail with side benefits for commuter rail."
