NY/NJ create Gateway commission

The USD 13bn proposed project would see the construction of tunnels under the Hudson River, connecting New York and New Jersey.

New York governor Andrew Cuomo called the Gateway program is the most urgent infrastructure project in the country.

"While the Trump administration has failed to take action on this vital project, this legislation - originally proposed as part of the Executive Budget - represents our steadfast commitment to getting it done," Cuomo said.

"I want to thank our partners in New York and New Jersey for their cooperation in this bi-state effort, which will take us one step closer to delivering a crucial project for our nation's economy and security while restoring our role as a global leader in infrastructure."

This legislation will make the program an eligible recipient for the federal, state and local grants needed to fund the projects, according to the Gateway Program Development Corporation (GDC).

A spokesperson for the GDC said: "Making GDC a bi-state commission will allow us to meet our mission of delivering Gateway and finally replacing a century old, failing, one-track-in, one-track-out rail system with modern, reliable, 21st century infrastructure to serve hundreds of thousands of daily riders and 20 per cent of the nation’s GDP.

"The passage of this joint legislation puts us over a critical hurdle in moving forward with the Gateway project and should once again alleviate any concerns raised by our federal partners. It’s clear that New York, New Jersey, and Amtrak stand ready to get these projects done."