Bill Text: NJ SJR80 | 2018-2019 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges federal government to adhere to commitment to improve Northeast Corridor rail infrastructure by providing funding to complete Gateway Program.
Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Democrat 14-1)
Status: (Passed) 2020-01-21 - Approved P.L.2019, JR-28. [SJR80 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2018-SJR80-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator JOSEPH A. LAGANA
District 38 (Bergen and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Urges federal government to adhere to commitment to improve Northeast Corridor rail infrastructure by providing funding to complete Gateway Program.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
A Joint Resolution urging the federal government to adhere to its commitment to improve Northeast Corridor rail infrastructure by providing half of the funding to complete the Gateway Program.
Whereas, The Northeast Corridor (NEC) is the rail backbone of the Northeast region, serving 800,000 riders and various industries on 2,000 commuter, intercity, and freight trains each day; and
Whereas, In the "Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008," Congress improved coordination along the NEC by directing the Secretary of Transportation to establish the Northeast Corridor Commission (Commission) to promote cooperation and to advise Congress on NEC policy; and
Whereas, The Commission's work has allowed regional leadership to stabilize the NEC and to pursue future growth; and
Whereas, In 2011, plans for the Gateway Program were unveiled, which sought to provide strategic rail infrastructure improvements in order to improve existing services and increase capacity for passenger trains running beneath the Hudson River; and
Whereas, The Commission's April 2018 annual report noted that, although some progress has been made along the NEC, key investments are still needed, including advancement of various components of the Gateway Program, such as Portal Bridge North and the Hudson River Tunnel project; and
Whereas, That report also noted that without additional federal funding, these important repair and replacement projects cannot advance to the next stage of development and construction; and
Whereas, In 2003, the existing trans-Hudson rail tunnels reached peak capacity, necessitating the commencement of plans to build additional tunnels to accommodate future growth in ridership; and
Whereas, The need for additional tunnels only grew stronger when the existing tunnels incurred damage from flooding during Superstorm Sandy in 2012; and
Whereas, Workers who ride and rely on the NEC contribute $50 billion annually to the United States economy; and
Whereas, A loss of NEC transit service is estimated to cost the United States economy $100 million for just a single day; and
Whereas, Amtrak's former President and CEO, Joseph Boardman, stated that the "Gateway Program is essential to ensuring safe and reliable mobility for the region's rail passengers;" and
Whereas, In 2015, federal officials agreed to pay half the costs of funding the Gateway Program, including the Hudson River Tunnel project and upgrades to New Jersey rail infrastructure; and
Whereas, In June 2017, state and federal authorities completed planning and environmental review for the construction of new rail tunnels between New Jersey and New York; and
Whereas, The Hudson River Tunnel project must be completed prior to the closure of the existing tunnels, because a reduction from the existing two tunnels to one tunnel would lead to a prohibitive 75 percent reduction in the number of trans-Hudson trains during peak ridership hours; and
Whereas, Additional funding is required to proceed to the construction phase of the Hudson River Tunnel project, but President Trump has personally intervened to block Congress from funding this crucial domestic infrastructure project; and
Whereas, The federal government is obligated to meet its commitments to the State of New Jersey, the State of New York, and the passengers and industries that rely upon the seamless operation of rail lines along the Northeast Corridor; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The Governor and the Legislature of New Jersey respectfully urge the United States Congress and the President of the United States to adhere to the federal government's commitment to improve the reliability of Northeast Corridor rail infrastructure by providing half of the funding required to complete the Gateway Program.
2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly or the Secretary of the Senate to the President of the United States, the Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States Senate, the Speaker and Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from this State.
3. This joint resolution shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This resolution respectfully urges the United States Congress and the President of the United States to adhere to the federal government's commitment to improve the reliability of Northeast Corridor rail infrastructure by providing half of the funding required to complete the Gateway Program.
The Gateway Program, which seeks to improve existing service and increase capacity for passenger trains running beneath the Hudson River, is essential to ensuring safe and reliable mobility for the Northeast Corridor's rail passengers. The Northeast Corridor is the rail backbone of the Northeast region and serves 800,000 riders and various industries on 2,000 commuter, intercity, and freight trains each day. Recognizing that current infrastructure assets crossing the Hudson River have already been pushed beyond their useful lives, federal officials agreed in 2015 to pay half of the costs of funding the Gateway Program, including the Hudson River Tunnel project and upgrades to New Jersey rail infrastructure.
The workers who rely on Northeast Corridor transit contribute $50 billion annually to the United States economy and it is estimated that just a one day loss of service along the corridor will result in $100 million in economic losses to the United States. It is in the federal government's own interest to ensure the continued, long-term reliability of transit along the Northeast Corridor. The federal government is obligated to provide sufficient funding for the Gateway Program in order to meet its commitments to the State of New Jersey, the State of New York, and the passengers and industries that rely upon the seamless operation of rail lines along the Northeast Corridor.
