Good news for anyone who enjoys trains, New York City, or, you know, not having vital infrastructure crumble: A federal judge has officially put the kibosh on the Trump administration's attempt to freeze funding for the $16 billion Hudson Tunnel project. Because apparently, even infrastructure projects need a legal team these days.
The U.S. Department of Transportation had put the project under review back in October, which, in bureaucratic terms, often means "we're just going to sit on this until everyone forgets about it." Construction on the tunnel had actually ground to a halt in February after the DOT iced its funding. But the Gateway Development Commission (GDC), the folks managing this colossal undertaking, got a temporary order a month later, allowing them to restart while they duked it out in court.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul, New York Attorney General Letitia James, New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherill, and New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport (a bipartisan dream team, if ever there was one) released a joint statement. They were "thrilled" the court agreed the Trump administration's decision to freeze billions was "flagrantly unlawful." Which, if you think about it, is a polite way of saying, "What were they even thinking?"
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Start Your News DetoxThe Tunnel of the Future (and the Past)
This isn't just about digging a new hole. The Hudson Tunnel project is a two-for-one deal: it involves building a brand-new two-track tunnel and fixing the existing North River Tunnel. That older tunnel, a grand dame built in 1910, carries Amtrak and New Jersey Transit trains and got a rather rude awakening during Superstorm Sandy in 2012. It's been limping along ever since, handling roughly 450 trains and 200,000 passengers daily.
The governors and attorneys general didn't mince words, calling the Hudson Tunnel project "the most important infrastructure project in the nation." And given the sheer volume of humanity it serves, they might just be right.
The GDC says 70% of the project's budget comes from federal grants, with the rest from federal loans that New York, New Jersey, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey will repay. The DOT had originally planned to stop releasing these federal funds starting October 1, 2025 – a date that's now thankfully moot.
In a slightly ironic twist, even while the tunnel project was in limbo, the DOT did take over the $8 billion New York Penn Station redevelopment project. That one aims to add more track capacity, create a new entrance to a new train hall, and generally improve the station's rather labyrinthine underground structure. The Hudson tunnels, naturally, connect directly to Penn Station, making them a crucial artery.
The new tunnel is expected to be ready for trains by 2035, with the North River tunnel's repairs wrapping up by 2038. Because apparently, even when everyone agrees on the importance, building something this big still takes a while.
