New Jersey Future Blog
30 Day Review an Ominous Sign for ARC Tunnel Project
September 15th, 2010 by Jay Corbalis
Source: www.panynj.gov
This weekend, NJ Transit Executive Director James Weinstein announced a 30-day hold on the $8.7 billion ARC tunnel project, to allow for a review of the project’s costs. The hold will not affect work already underway, though it will delay any new contracts from being issued. Yesterday, Governor Christie weighed in on the issue, telling reporters that he liked the idea of a tunnel, but not if he can’t pay for it. While analyzing costs and staying within budget are prudent for any project, especially one of this magnitude, an indefinite delay of the project could prove far more costly by jeopardizing billions in federal funds already committed to the tunnel, as both of New Jersey’s Senators have already suggested. Delaying or even cancelling the project would also have major repercussions for economic development, with NJ losing out on thousands of construction jobs in the short term, and billions in increased property values and other impacts in the long term.
Yesterday New Jersey Future, along with the Tri-State Transportation Campaign and the Regional Plan Association, sent a letter to Governor Christie, Executive Director Weinstein, and other officials, reiterating their support for the tunnel, and urging them to keep the project on track. That letter can be seen here. The groups also released a fact sheet on the ARC tunnel in an effort to set the record straight about details of the project. The fact sheet can be seen here.
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Tags: Christie, Senator Menedez, TOD, Transit, Transportation
[…] a vital rail link between NJ and NY, and the nation’s largest infrastructure project, is in under serious threat of being terminated. Despite unprecedented funding commitments from the federal […]
We need this ARC Tunnel for Transportation for four Divisions, and people need Jobs.