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For Immediate Release: July 29, 2005
Cross Harbor Tunnel Receives Significant Funding in Federal Transportation Bill
Project Will Move Forward to Bring Environmental, Economic & Security Benefits to New York
New York, NY - In the long-awaited federal transportation bill, the Cross Harbor Rail Freight Tunnel project will receive a historic $100 million. This funding is a significant victory for the project, and will allow it to move forward towards construction. The entire New York Congressional Delegation, including Senator Chuck Schumer, Senator Hilary Clinton and Representative Jerrold Nadler have been tireless advocates for New York receiving its fair share of federal transportation dollars, including funding for the Cross Harbor Rail Freight Tunnel. Congress has rarely- if ever- funded a rail freight project, and funding of this magnitude in the bill demonstrates that the Tunnel is seen as an essential regional and national improvement.
The Surface Transportation Reauthorization Bill, entitled the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) which was approved by the Conference Committee yesterday, includes some $16.5 billion in New York highway and transit dollars over the next six years. The Conference Report is scheduled to be considered by both the Senate and the House today. After passing each house, the approved Report will then go to the President's desk to be signed.
"The Cross Harbor Tunnel will help our economy prosper and grow," said Dick Anderson, New York Building Congress President and Move NY & NJ Co-Chair. "Thanks to the hard work of all of our Congressional Representatives in bringing home much-needed federal money, the project can now move into the final design phase. This is good news for the future of our region."
The Cross Harbor Rail Freight Tunnel, which will be built under New York Harbor, will link the nation's rail system ending in New Jersey, with existing rail lines East of the Hudson. The Tunnel, coupled with other major improvements in the region's freight rail system, will allow more goods to move by rail rather than truck, and offers a safer, more efficient, sustainable way to move goods into and out of the New York metropolitan area. The Tunnel will also improve the region's air quality by reducing highway congestion and truck emissions.
According to Jon Orcutt, Executive Director of the Tri-State Transportation Campaign and Move NY & NJ Co-Chair, "the region's roads cannot absorb the expected 79% increase in freight traffic over the next 20 years. What we accomplish on the rails will directly affect road conditions -- moving more by rail means less gridlock, safer driving, less road damage by trucks and thus less public spending for highway and bridge repair. With this federal funding, the Cross Harbor Tunnel project is now on track to bring significant environmental, economic and security benefits to the entire New York region."
The Cross Harbor Rail Freight Tunnel project has been gaining momentum in the past several months, with three major New York newspapers and over 200 elected officials and organizations recognizing that the tunnel project is critical for the future of the City and the region.
Move NY & NJ is a coalition of leaders from the New York region’s business, labor, environmental, community and urban planning sectors, dedicated to improving the region’s freight transportation system through the construction of a cross-harbor rail freight tunnel underneath the New York Harbor. For more information visit Move NY & NJ’s website at www.movenynj.org or e-mail info@MoveNYNJ.org.
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