Trump says $16 billion Hudson River Tunnel Project is 'terminated'; NY leaders react
Hudson River Tunnel Project is 'terminated': Trump
After pausing funding for the Hudson River Tunnel Project earlier this month, President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that the project is now "terminated." FOX 5 NY's Briella Tomassetti has the story.
NEW YORK CITY - After pausing funding for the Hudson River Tunnel Project earlier this month, President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that the project is now "terminated."
What they're saying:
"Russell Vought is really terminating tremendous numbers of Democrat projects," Trump said. "Not only jobs, the project in Manhattan, the project in New York. It’s billions and billions of dollars that Schumer has worked 20 years to get. It’s terminated."
A tunnel is under construction in Manhattan that will connect the new $18 billion Hudson River rail tunnel to New York Penn Station on Thursday, Oct. 2, in New York. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey)
More commonly known as the Gateway project, the $16 billion endeavor relies primarily on federal grants, and would help commuters who are traveling from New Jersey to New York via Amtrak and commuter rail.
The other side:
Back in May, New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand said she secured an on-the-record commitment from Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy that he would not cancel grants for major transit capital investment projects, including Gateway.
In a statement, she said: "The Trump administration is – once again – using New York City as a political pawn in a way that could have disastrous ramifications for the entire country. The Hudson Tunnel Gateway project is creating good paying jobs for thousands of New Yorkers, contributing to sustaining and creating small businesses, and addressing transit deserts."
New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, an ardent supporter of Gateway, told the New York Times: "Gateway is the most important infrastructure project in America -- period. Donald Trump trying to kill it again is pure spite and stupidity. It's petty revenge politics that would screw hundreds of thousands of New York and New Jersey commuters, choke off our economy and kill good-paying jobs."
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul called the decision a targeted attack on New York.
"This is not sticking it to New York," Hochul said. "This is the Northeastern corridor to make sure that our tunnels are safe. They're damaged by Superstorm Sandy. They're over 100 years old. We need to replace them because if this system of transportation collapses, the Northeastern economy and the economy of the country collapse. So why be so short-sighted?"
The backstory:
The long-delayed project would construct a new tunnel under the Hudson River to improve rail service between New York and New Jersey.
Upon completion, it would double capacity, allow for more high-speed rail service and ease the strain on an existing 110-year-old tunnel.