Congressman Jerrold Nadler 30-year dream of building a Cross Harbor Freight Tunnel from the large shipping ports of New Jersey to Bay Ridge to connect to the nation’s freight grid took a major roll forward today with officials as long as a Norfolk Southern Railway Freight train voicing support.
That after the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ or Port Authority) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) released of a new, Draft Tier I Environment Impact Statement (EIS) for the project. The EIS lists several possibilities for the plan as well as impacts.
“The Cross Harbor Rail Freight Tunnel project, which I have supported for more than 30 years alongside a large and growing coalition of governmental, business, labor, transportation, and environmental leaders, would finally connect Brooklyn, Queens, Long Island, Westchester and Southern Connecticut to the national freight rail grid, profoundly improving the movement of goods throughout our region,” said Nadler.
“It will remove thousands of trucks from our clogged roadways, and that will reduce pollution, reduce the cost of goods and the cost of doing business, grow jobs, and make us all safer by both ensuring easier movement of emergency vehicles and securing an additional route by which we can get vital goods into the region, should our primary route be compromised.”
Nadler explained that New York City is the only major city in the world that is not connected to its country’s national freight rail network. Without this key rail link, more than $1 trillion worth of freight per year – everything from food to furniture – enters New York City almost entirely by trucks coming over the George Washington Bridge, he said.
Nadler added trucks transport about 90 percent of the freight, while rail handles less than 6 percent – a figure that is two-and-a-half times smaller than the national average.
The EIS release also drew support from many elected officials and labor leader.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio: “Our ability to grow and compete depends on making smart investments in our infrastructure. We have to be creative about accelerating and expanding our capacity to do big things, and move vital projects like the Cross Harbor Freight Tunnel forward. We strongly support Congressman Nadler’s drive to make the tunnel a reality. It can significantly reduce truck traffic, improve neighborhoods and make our city more sustainable.”
U.S. Senator Charles Schumer (NY): “Assessing the big picture infrastructure options like a cross harbor freight tunnel is just what the Port Authority should be doing to plan for the future economic growth of the whole region. This study presents critical options for developing underutilized water and rail tunnel alternatives and outlines how to create a freight movement network that works better for the region, without unduly burdening any community. Done right, a cross harbor tunnel can spur economic growth, reduce traffic, increase road safety and longevity, and reduce air pollution.”
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (NY): “The Cross Harbor Rail Freight Tunnel project is critical for keeping the region economically competitive, reducing harmful emissions, freeing up our roads and highways so that emergency vehicles can move more freely, and opening up an additional route to move goods into the City in the event of another disaster. Jerry Nadler has been an absolute champion in getting us to this point and I applaud the Port Authority for releasing the new draft study. I will continue to push to move this project forward and work for its funding in Congress.”
Kathryn Wylde, President & CEO of the Partnership for New York City: “The Cross Harbor Rail Freight Tunnel is one of the critical infrastructure projects for our region and will contribute in important ways to future economic growth. The tunnel would reduce over-reliance on trucks and provide relief from congestion and air pollution, while helping to reduce the cost of doing business in our region.”
Mario Cilento, President of the New York State AFL-CIO: “We are now one very large step closer to the development of the Cross Harbor Freight Tunnel, and it can’t happen soon enough. There is quite simply a crisis in the movement of freight, which is only growing worse with each passing year. This project has the potential to revolutionize the transportation of goods throughout our region, and must be a priority if we are to grow jobs and our economy.”
