President Donald Trump made his name as a builder in New York City and New Jersey. But what could be his greatest achievement in the region — one that would benefit the country’s economy for generations to come — is being threatened by the Office of Management and Budget, which is holding up funding for the Hudson River tunnel project known as Gateway. The president should resolve the standoff, and quickly.
The Gateway Program is one of the biggest and most urgent infrastructure projects in the US — and one of the few major mass transit projects that has strong bipartisan support. Its centerpiece is a two-tube rail tunnel under the Hudson River, connecting New York City and New Jersey, with new tracks and bridges leading to the tunnel.
This is not some local pet project. It’s of national economic importance. The new tunnel will allow passengers up and down the East Coast to move faster and more reliably, while also mitigating road congestion in numerous states and relieving air travel pressures. It will also expand the entire region’s labor market, accelerate its housing growth, and increase its business activity and investment.
From an economic perspective, the tunnel is an absolute no-brainer — and it’s long overdue.