Record-Breaking $6.9 Billion Granted for Hudson Tunnel Project in New York

The long-delayed Hudson Tunnel Project, part of the larger Gateway infrastructure project, is set to receive $6.9 billion in federal funding, the largest ever awarded to a mass-transit project. The funding will allow construction on the new rail tunnel under the Hudson River to begin next year. The existing tunnels, which opened in 1910, have been deteriorating since Hurricane Sandy in 2012. The project's planners still hope to secure additional funding to cover at least half of the total cost. The new tunnel is urgently needed to address the lingering effects of Hurricane Sandy and to prevent a significant reduction in train capacity between New York and New Jersey.