According to WNYC, Governor Chris Christie will announce by the end of the week that he is officially pulling the plug on the Trans-Hudson Express tunnel (aka the ARC project), the $8.7 billion tunnel that would have doubled rail capacity between New York and New Jersey. Christie previously hinted at the cancellation at a campaign event for Republican gubernatorial hopeful Bill Brady of Illinois, saying, "I was alerted to the fact that there were potential for significant cost overruns, and New Jersey's broke. And the federal government made it clear that New Jersey will be on the hook for any cost overruns on the project." So long, express to Secaucus!
New Jerseyites see the cancellation as a mixed blessing. Transportation Commissioner Jim Simpson said that a lot of the money could be allocated to other projects, such as road improvement. "You've got that billion coming in, $100 million a year, that is rededicated, flexed to ARC," he told legislators. "So if ARC didn't happen, there's a billion dollars, a pot of money, for roads and bridges and things like that." And don't forget graft!
On the other hand, both Jersey and New York commuters are lamenting the possibility of faster NJ Transit trains being dangled before them and snatched away. “Amtrak owns the rails, so the trains are stalled. You know what I’m saying? We have to wait for all Amtrak trains to go through before we can even move,” one passenger told CBS 2. Another said it would have given "a lot more opportunity for more trains to come into the City." So be sure to sign the "Thank You!!!" card to Governor Christie we're passing around!
