By Philip Newman
U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) has appealed to the federal government for $800 million to repair two East River tunnels used by the Long Island Rail Road which were heavily damaged by Hurricane Sandy.
Schumer has also expressed concern about the 104-year old Hudson River tunnels, which he said needed to be replaced by new tunnels that would cost at least $20 billion. Those tunnels bring Amtrak and New Jersey Transit trains under the river to Penn Station.
As for the East River tunnels, Schumer has asked federal agencies to come up with $550 million in unused aid for damage from Hurricane Sandy.
Schumer wrote two federal agencies in his appeal, saying that there was $800 million in federal relief that can be issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation in addition to funds from Federal Emergency Management Agency programs.
“They should be put to work right away to address this dangerous shortfall so that commuters can continue to rely on these tunnels for years to come,” Schumer wrote. “The repair of the East River tunnels, which is the vital link for LIRR commuters as well as for Amtrak and New Jersey Transit, simply cannot wait for an Amtrak insurance appeal process to arrive,” Schumer said. He called the project vital to the economy and hundreds of thousands of riders.
As to the Hudson River tunnels, Schumer urged those concerned to form a nonprofit entity to oversee and finance the replacing of the tunnels. Schumer has estimated the cost of the Hudson River tunnels at $20 billion-plus but said failure to go ahead with the project could bring what he called “transportation armageddon.”
Indeed, Amtrak, owner of the tunnels, said at least one of the tunnels might have to be closed temporarily in the near future to repair damage from Hurricane Sandy, which would bring massive delays. Whether the project is essential is not in question, but state and federal officials have not been able to agree on how to provide the billions of dollars for its construction. “I’m going to get the federal government to pay for as much of this as possible,” Schumer said in addressing a recent conference at New York University.
