Northeast Corridor at breaking point? [View all]

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx, in the light of problems affecting tens of thousands of NJTransit and Amtrak riders between here and New York Penn Station of the last eight days, has called respective Govs. Chris Christie and Andrew Cuomo to meet with him sometime before Aug. 10.

Christie, (R-Mendham), while campaigning for the Republican Presidential nomination in New Hampshire July 28, said that his staff is working with Foxx's counterparts for a meeting date. Cuomo (D-New Rochelle), the same day said that he too will join Christie and Foxx, added that the federal government must chip in more than the $3 billion Uncle Sam has first offered to fund Gateway's estimated $12 billion cost.

"If the federal government can make a significant contribution," said Cuomo in a Tuesday interview, "then let's go. I mean we have shovels - we need it."

Whenever and wherever Foxx, Christie and likely Cuomo will meet between now and Aug. 10, there will be tens of thousands of riders, legislators and transit advocates who will be watching and waiting. They are waiting for word of when relief will come from the currently problem-plagued stretch of the Northeast Corridor Line between Newark and New York City's Penn Stations.
Foxx, in a letter released July 27, said he wants to work out a funding plan for the Gateway tunnel project, which would relieve the two 105-year-old North River tunnels beneath the Hudson River, that would be equitable to both states. ............(more)

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