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Newark – In preparation for the start of construction on the Hudson Tunnel Project in 2023, critical supplemental subsurface geotechnical investigations have begun on the west side of Manhattan to analyze soil and rock characteristics and provide information to engineers about underground conditions. The Gateway Development Commissioners received an update on engineering and other aspects of the project during today’s meeting of the Board.
The Commissioners were also provided an update on the recently passed Federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. In addition to infusing relevant grant programs for transportation projects with billions of dollars, the bill also provides the opportunity for Build America Bureau to make loans with a maturity of up to 75 years after completion, increased from 35 years, potentially improving the annual affordability of infrastructure projects with very long useful lives, such as the Hudson Tunnel Project.
The Geotechnical Borings are being drilled more than 100 feet underground at thirteen locations on recently acquired property at 260 Twelfth Avenue in Manhattan. The additional borings were identified during a 2019 Request for Information process that sought the input of private industry. Data from the program will inform the geotechnical baseline report, a key input into the Hudson Tunnel Project’s request to enter the Engineering phase of the Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Investment Grant (CIG) Program. The investigation work will be conducted during daytime hours Monday through Friday and is expected to run through early 2022.
“The Hudson Tunnel Project will put thousands of people to work building needed American infrastructure,” said Balpreet Grewal-Virk, Gateway Commission Co-Chair and New Jersey Commissioner. “With the dollars and loan benefits available in the Federal Infrastructure Bill and the analysis of underground conditions we are undertaking, the project is taking big steps toward the start of full construction.”
“Beginning this final phase of the geotechnical boring program is a key milestone for the Hudson Tunnel Project,” said Steven M. Cohen, Gateway Commission Co-Chair and New York Commissioner. “We continue to do everything we can to move the project closer to the start of construction as quickly as possible.”
With a Record of Decision issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation in May, Amtrak was able to move quickly to acquire one of the properties needed for the project on Block 675. The acquisition was incorporated into the updated financial plan, saving the Hudson Tunnel Project more than $700 million in cost estimates related to the escalation and risk increases from delays to the project during the prior Federal Administration.
“Amtrak’s financial commitment to the Hudson Tunnel Project included acquisition of property interests in New York,” explained Tony Coscia, Gateway Commission Vice Chair and Amtrak Commissioner. “Acquiring the property necessary to advance this engineering work not only moves the project closer to full construction, but also helps mitigate cost increases in the project associated with the passage of time.”
Commissioners also approved a code of conduct and procurement guidelines at today’s Board meeting. These were two of the final policies required by the bi-State GDC Act passed by New Jersey and New York, along with bylaws and other corporate governance, ethics, and transparency policies approved at previous board meetings this year.
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