Gottheimer announces federal push to protect Gateway Tunnel project amid concerns over possible funding cuts
GLEN ROCK BOROUGH, N.J. (Bergen County) — Joined by New Jersey labor workers and local officials at the Glen Rock Borough Hall Train Station on Thursday, U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-5th) announced new federal efforts to safeguard the Gateway Train Tunnel project from potential termination by the Trump Administration.
Gottheimer said ending the project would “severely impact commuters, continue to drive up travel times and costs, and deliver a massive blow to the economy.”
The congressman, who helped write and negotiate the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed in 2021, said he helped secure funding for the project in that legislation. The Gateway Project is expected to create more than 95,000 jobs and includes constructing two new tunnels under the Hudson River while repairing the existing 115-year-old tunnels connecting New Jersey and New York.
According to Gottheimer’s office, about 200,000 passengers use the tunnels daily, and closing one tube could cost the U.S. economy $100 million per day. The Northeast Corridor accounts for roughly 20 percent of the nation’s GDP, and New Jersey has the third-longest average commute times in the country.
As part of his new initiative, Gottheimer outlined several actions to defend the Gateway Project:
- Letter to President Trump and U.S. Transportation Secretary Duffy: Gottheimer, along with all Democratic members of New Jersey’s congressional delegation and U.S. Sen. Andy Kim (D-NJ), sent a letter urging the administration to restore funding for the Gateway Project “without any delays.”
- Appeal to labor and transportation committees: Gottheimer said he is also sending letters to the U.S. Department of Labor, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, calling for continued support for the project and the jobs it sustains.
- Request for reports from NJ Transit and Amtrak: The congressman said he is asking the agencies to provide Congress with detailed assessments of the potential impacts of any funding cuts or government shutdowns on the project’s timeline, as well as the condition of the current tunnels and the economic effects of possible disruptions.
“The Gateway Project is about protecting the hard-working men and women of labor, the safety of our commuters, and the strength of our regional economy,” Gottheimer said.
The Gateway Tunnel project, a long-planned infrastructure initiative, aims to upgrade rail capacity between New Jersey and New York and is considered one of the most significant transportation investments in the nation.
