Rome wasn’t built in a day, and the Gateway tunnel, which will connect New York and New Jersey under the Hudson River, won’t be either.
Last week, Amtrak released the prospective timeline and cost estimates for the Gateway project. The $23.9 billion endeavor (which has already started) will take about 15 years to complete and will be divided into two phases.
Phase One: Present-2026
| Project Description | Status | ETA | Estimated Cost |
| New trans-Hudson tunnel entrance below Hudson Yards | Currently underway | 2019 | $326 million |
| New trans-Hudson rail tunnels and renovation of existing tunnels | Start date unknown until engineering and financing plans established | 10 years from start date | $7.7 billion |
| Portal Bridge replacement over Hackensack River with new two-track high-level bridge | Scheduled to begin work in 2017 | 2022 | $1.2 billion |
| Sawtooth Bridge replacement over Passaic River | Scheduled to begin work in 2022 | 2026 | $1.1 billion |
Phase Two: 2024-2030
| Project Description | Status | ETA | Estimated Cost |
| Penn Station expansion one block south, including new underground tracks and above-ground development | 2024 | 2030 | $5.9 billion |
| New Portal Bridge South at Kearney | 2024 | 2030 | $1.9 billion |
| Secaucus Junction station renovation to handle increased rail capacity and Secaucus Loop link | 2024 | 2030 | $1.8 billion |
| Construction of Secaucus Loop to enable a one-seat ride from North Jersey into Penn Station | 2024 | 2030 | $1.3 billion |
| Replacement and renewal of two-track rail embankment between Newark and Secaucus and building of two additional lines running parallel to the embankment | 2024 | 2030 | $268 million |
The increased capacity and reliability which the Gateway project will bring cannot come soon enough for the 200,000 riders who travel through the existing tunnels on a daily basis. In the meantime, NJ Transit, the Port Authority, MTA and local leaders should be looking for other ways to meet the growing demand for cross-Hudson capacity. After all, 15 years is a long time, even by NJ Transit standards.
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If it is desired to connect the ex-Erie lines to Penn Station have a direct link from the tunnels bypassing Secaucus Junction instead of the loop which will be slower than transferring.
The Sawtooth Bridge is not over the Passaic River. That’s the Dock Bridge adjacent to Newark Penn. the Sawtooth, name for it shape when viewed from above, is the bridge that carries the Northeast Corridor over NJT and PATH in the Kearny Meadows nearby the Midtown Direct Junction. If you re-hashing Amtrak, they should get it right (And/or you Mobilizing should know it)
[…] Nearly six years ago, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie cancelled the Access to the Region’s Core rail tunnel project. Cross-Hudson capacity was cramped then, and it’s only gotten worse. Meanwhile, the Gateway Project, a $24 billion plan to build another set of tunnels under the Hudson won’t be completed until 2030. […]
[…] trains. But planning delay has created a whole host of problems. For example, Gateway’s $23.9 billion price tag is significant, and with no solid funding commitments, there is no way to know if or when the […]