Is that metal sorting facility on the west bank of the river supposed to come down, or is there enough room between the existing westbound main and the building for the new track to avoid it?
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Recent comments by federal transit officials indicate that a $1.6 billion project to build a new bridge over New Jersey's Hackensack River is making progress toward clearing a hurdle currently standing in the way of its receiving the federal funding needed to begin construction. Last year, the project was disqualified from a federal grant program in a dispute over how much money New Jersey was putting up.
The Portal North bridge, slated to replace a 109-year-old swing bridge that occasionally becomes stuck after it opens to allow boats to pass under, is a component of the larger Gateway project that also includes a new rail tunnel under the Hudson River. The tunnel project also has been stalled by funding disputes with the federal government.
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It is the farthest along of the Gateway-associated projects, having completed design work and received environmental approval in 2013.
What it lacked was federal funding. Last year, the Federal Transit Administration gave the project a low rating that disqualified it from a key federal grant program, despite the fact the state had committed $600 million through a bond issue backed by the state's gas tax. New Jersey is seeking roughly $811 million in grant money.
Last week, acting FTA Administrator K. Jane Williams told members of a House transportation subcommittee that New Jersey Transit, which is overseeing the project, is "making progress" toward being able to petition for a higher rating this fall, pending state and board approval.
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