ARC Tunnel: Back From the Dead?
Hours after Governor Chris Christie‘s announcement that the trans-Hudson ARC Tunnel project was dead, federal transportation officials traveled to Trenton to urge the Governor to reconsider, and to give some thought to alternatives that would keep the project alive.
Last Thursday, Governor Christie killed the nation’s largest public works project based upon the unanimous recommendation of an Executive Steering Committee including high-ranking officials at New Jersey Transit and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. The project cancellation resulted from the Steering Committee’s conclusion that the project — which has been in planning for many years and commenced property acquisitions and construction last year — could have cost overruns exceeding $5 billion, all of which would need to be shouldered by New Jersey taxpayers according to the project’s current financial structure. That was when U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood got on the phone and made arrangements to travel to Trenton on Friday.
The meeting resulted in Christie agreeing to provide LaHood with 14 days to come up with alternatives which might allow the project, or some other solutions, to be implemented or revived.
For more, read the account of Josh Margolin and Ted Sherman in yesterday’s NorthJersey.com.
Related Articles
- New Jersey governor will reconsider rail-tunnel cancellation (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
- Frantic behind-the-scenes dealings could resuscitate Hudson River tunnel project (nj.com)
- Ray LaHood, Chris Christie Extend ARC Talks (streetsblog.org)
- Christie Agrees to Review Options That May Save Hudson Tunnel (nytimes.com)
- Chris Christie’s big decision (economist.com)
- U.S. transportation head convinces Gov. Christie to rethink killing Hudson River rail tunnel (nj.com)
- N.J. Gov. Chris Christie agrees to reconsider Hudson River tunnel project (nj.com)
- $9 billion N.Y.-N.J. tunnel not dead after all (msnbc.msn.com)
- Gov. Christie’s cancellation of ARC tunnel project seen as blow to Hudson County (nj.com)
- Gov. Christie to kill N.Y.-N.J. rail tunnel project (nj.com)
