- US And State Officials Inaugurate Hudson River Tunnel Construction Work
- Debate Intensifies Over Maintaining Bay Area Toll Bridge Bike Lane
- US House Postpones Action On Transportation Budget Bill
- These are just some of the toll industry developments TRN is following.
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US And State Officials Inaugurate Hudson River Tunnel Construction Work
The New York Times reports, “Construction of the long-delayed rail tunnel under the Hudson River is about to speed up, as the project gets an additional $3.8 billion in federal funding.” Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY), USDOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg and a host of other state and federal leaders gathered in New York City on Friday, October 3, to announce that work would get underway this month on the first phases of the $16.1 billion tunnel project that is a major part of the huge Gateway Program. A job soon to begin in Manhattan is construction of the concrete casing under the Hudson Yards neighborhood through which trains will travel after leaving the river tunnel. In New Jersey, work is also scheduled to start on a North Bergen highway realignment that will make room for the project’s boring machine to begin operation in 2025. During Friday’s kickoff event, Secretary Buttigieg called the tunnel “the largest and most significant infrastructure project” in the US and compared it to construction of the Golden Gate Bridge and Hoover Dam, the “cathedrals of our infrastructure.” (TRN inserted links in quoted text.)
An Amtrak news release has more information about the Friday announcement and the Gateway Program.
Amtrak Gateway Program (Northeast US Rail Tunnels Project) New Jersey New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) New York New York City New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) US Department of Transportation (USDOT) US Gov't Transportation Funding US Infrastructure Funding And Financing InitiativesDebate Intensifies Over Maintaining Bay Area Toll Bridge Bike Lane
Marin Independent Journal reports, “Calls to reopen a third westbound lane on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge are ramping up as the four-year trial run of a [controversial] bicycle and pedestrian path comes to an end this month.” Caltrans and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) will discuss the status of the path during a Bay Area Toll Authority meeting on Wednesday. (See the agenda attachments for more information.) However, before officials can determine whether to convert it back to an auto lane they must “await the results of a pilot study final report,” which means action is unlikely to occur before next summer. A business organization and some lawmakers maintain the path is underutilized and drivers need relief from weekday congestion. Other opponents say improving traffic flow will reduce the level of harmful emissions to which Richmond residents are now exposed. MTC staff will reportedly recommend that no immediate conversion take place because of the expense involved and the need to avoid conflict with state climate goals.
Alternative and Active Transportation Bay Area Toll Authority (San Francisco) (BATA) California Caltrans (CA Department of Transportation) Environmental Protection Policies Procedures And Initiatives Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) San Francisco Bay Area (CA)US House Postpones Action On Transportation Budget Bill
The Hill reports, US House Republicans scrapped plans to vote on an FY 2024 housing and transportation funding bill last week. Plans to move the legislation to the floor fell through Thursday afternoon when Representative Tom Cole (R-OK), an appropriation subcommittee chair “expressed doubts to The Hill about its chances of [immediate passage].” According to Cole, “[s]ome people want to cut more, other people are worried that we cut too much, or they’ve got particular concerns, Amtrak concerns.” House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) said the effort to pass the spending bill would resume this week.
US Department of Transportation (USDOT) US Gov't Transportation Funding US Highway Trust FundThese are just some of the toll industry developments TRN is following.
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