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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Biden: Gov’t Should Fund New York City Infrastructure Projects

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During a tour of the railway tunnels under the Hudson River, Former Vice President Joe Biden remarked that they were in poor condition and in desperate need of replacement. “I walked through the tunnels, they’re the lifeline for the northeast. The last three weeks have shown us they’re barely hanging on by a thread,” he said. “Unless we build new ones, it will be a disaster.” The issue is that repairs to these tunnels is estimated to run into the billions and Congress is balking at supplying any money for it.

The tunnels that Vice President Biden were referring to are two new railway tunnels being planned under the Hudson River.  Titled the “Gateway Project”, the repairs and track work will not only include shoring up the tunnels that the rails will pass through, but also a new and second Portal Bridge for the trains to travel over, a new annex being built located south of Penn Station in New York City, a new set of railway tracks set down for travel between Newark and New York City, and a new loop track that will allow for train travel along the Northeast Corridor for trains that travel on the Bergen County line.  The entire project is estimated to eventually cost $24 billion.

With such a vast cost looming, the former Vice President has been declaring that it seems only fair for the nation to supply funds since New York taxpayers have been funding infrastructure costs for other states. As he put it, “It’s about each area in the nation making up [sic] for shortcomings in other areas. How many times have you as New Yorkers bailed out the farmers in Iowa or Nebraska? What happens every time we talk about what our needs are?”

He specifically recalled an argument he had with Republican Arizona Senator John McCain regarding such infrastructure costs.  Senator McCain had protested taxpayers in his state providing funds for Amtrak repairs and maintenance in New York City.  Senator McCain had allegedly said, “Why should my mother in Phoenix pay for someone commuting to Philadelphia or New York?”  Vice President Biden had retorted,  “I’ll agree to zero out any money for Amtrak and zero out all money for water projects. Why should my mother on social security pay for a glass of water your mother is drinking? Why the hell did you build in a desert?

New York City does have political influence, but is apparently very vulnerable as far as its infrastructure is concerned.  The Nations infrastructure as a whole is in poor condition, having received a D+ grade from a civil engineering group.  Former Vice President Biden has been adamant about work on infrastructure being a priority.  “What will happen when the next incident impacts all 21 tracks (in Penn Station) or we lose a tunnel?  We’ve got to stop delaying and do it,” he has implored.

By: Anat Ghelber

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