Biden's $2 trillion infrastructure plan to include Gateway Tunnel

"Funding for the long-sought Gateway Tunnel to carry Amtrak and New Jersey Transit trains under the Hudson River will be part of President Joe Biden’s $2 trillion infrastructure proposal, NJ Advance Media has learned.

The plan includes fully funding a backlog of major projects along the Northeast Corridor, including Gateway, according to an administration official. The proposal includes $80 billion for Amtrak and federal railroad grant and loan programs, according to an administration fact sheet."

https://www.nj.com/coronavirus/2021/03/bidens-2-trillion-infrastructure-plan-to-include-gateway-tunnel-crucial-to-nj-source-says.html

I'm fascinated by the idea of putting Amtrak back on the Lackawanna cutoff, even as far as Binghamton.  

FilmCarp said:

I'm fascinated by the idea of putting Amtrak back on the Lackawanna cutoff, even as far as Binghamton.  

 I agree but the tunnel has to come first

There was once talk of a freight tunnel from Brooklyn to NJ -- is that still around in any form?

--

ETA - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross-Harbor_Rail_Tunnel

Amtrak is also looking to add a route from NYC to Scranton via the Lackawanna Cutoff.

https://www.citizensvoice.com/news/amtrak-proposes-adding-passenger-train-route-to-scranton/article_e4f1b31a-5a4d-5ef2-8e51-dbfa275bfdde.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=user-share&fbclid=IwAR3W73KfknpTD99oYCF906PfctmJLqsMim2WdJXpk0y8i47rjcXLD2pUTjo

I seem to recall that Federal money for the new Hudson tunnel was previously approved. Did something change? 

RobertRoe said:

I seem to recall that Federal money for the new Hudson tunnel was previously approved. Did something change? 

 it was being held up by the Department of Transportation as I understood it. 

Regardless, this project is going to be at least a decade later than it should have been thanks to Chris Christie. But at least we now know that many people could work remotely if the present tunnels fail and need to be repaired. 

max_weisenfeld said:

FilmCarp said:

I'm fascinated by the idea of putting Amtrak back on the Lackawanna cutoff, even as far as Binghamton.  

 I agree but the tunnel has to come first

 They can both happen at once.

Amtrak proposed routes:

(http://media.amtrak.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Amtrak-Connects-Us-Fact-Sheet-for-Statement.pdf)

Cramer, you might want to edit your headline.  2 trillion has a lot more zeros than 2 million.

It is $2 Trillion over 8 years. So on a yearly basis it is $250 Billion. Still a big number, but to put it into perspective, our yearly Defense spending is over $700 Billion a year, Trumps tax bill cut taxes by $550 Billion a year. I think you could argue that we should spend a lot more than $2 Trillion on infrastructure at the expense of Defense and Corporate tax cuts.