McGreevey renews push for third North River tunnel

From AP newswire:

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Gov. James E. McGreevey has renewed calls for a third rail tunnel that would link New Jersey to Manhattan, a $5 billion project that has been stalled for more than a decade.

McGreevey says the project, known as Access to the Region's Core, is vital to New Jersey's economy. He also cites the pressing need to increase the region's rail capacity, noting that New Jersey Transit's ridership is expected to double to nearly 100,000 rush-hour passengers by 2015.

"This (project) is critically tied to our economic expansion," McGreevey told The Star-Ledger of Newark. "This represents our lifeblood."

Officials hope that work on a tunnel with two tubes will start in 2007 and be completed by 2014. One tube could be completed as early as 2011, providing extra capacity if New York lands the 2012 Olympics.

http://www.nj.com/newsflash/jersey/inde ... 121120.xml

Maybe McGreevy does warrant re-election!

And, I'm sure the morons in Jersey City will be relieved that THIS tunnel isn't planned for their city....

http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2532

I heard the same thing on this morning's radio, too.

I thought this state was aready severely impacted by deficits.

Methinks, that if you are going to build a football stadium near Penn Station, then another tunnel makes sense.

Ah, but will they make the NEC four tracks from the new tunnel all the way to Dock? Would they be able to push the PATH westbound track in Harrison onto former Hartz-Mountain property to assist in doing such a thing, too...?

Let's stop "renewing" and "pushing" and just get the damn thing built. It's going to have to happen sooner or later - inevitable - and the costs and development are only going to rise. I am getting sick of the 20 minute trip between NYC and Newark (thanks to Secacus Junction - argh!). A new tunnel and four tracks from NYC and Newark will help alleviate the bottle necks and speed things a long faster.

I remembering asking someone (and it was a reliable source) about whether they would build capacity to four tracks between Dock and Newark - the answer was yes - and its part of the process leading up to building the new tunnel. But if you look at all the maps, you only get the impression that it's four tracks from Secaucus to New York. Can't remember who I got this info from. I too hope they are not stupid enough to put the new tunnel in and then forget to add two additional tracks from Secaucus to Newark.

Only time will tell how quickly this will get embraced.

But where is McGreevy getting the money from - State Treasury and Federal Funding? I thought the transportation fund will be bankrupt in 2005? Can he show us that the $$ will be available to build it? ARC is part of the process to get the federal money right? But what's the split going to be like (between federal and state). And then there's mention of the Port Authority....

Jp is right, quit talking and get it done. I can remember another tunnel being proposed back in the mid-eighties, perhaps earlier. It is long over due, but as always money is an issue. So instead of building stadiums, that money should go to a tunnel and 4 tracks from NYC to NWK.

THis is just fluff that the McGreevy administration has no interest or ability to accomplish. All he wants is the cheap publicity in an election year. Bergen County officials do the same thing with the West Shore line every election. I've seen this a million times before.