Work begins on nation's largest mass transit project

[eppur_se_muova]

Source: CNN

By Steve Kastenbaum
CNN Radio Correspondent

NEW YORK (CNN) -- The largest mass transit project in the country got under way Monday with the help of federal stimulus dollars, as public officials broke ground on a second passenger rail tunnel beneath the Hudson River.

The new tunnel will link New Jersey with New York and eventually will double capacity on the nation's busiest rail corridor, running from Washington to Boston, Massachusetts, officials said.

Officials participated in the groundbreaking for the $8.7 billion project as commuter trains passed behind them in North Bergen, New Jersey, before entering the existing train tunnel, which went into operation in 1908.

"As we start digging this tunnel, I think that what really it means, we are digging our way out of an economic crisis," said Sen. Bob Menendez, D-New Jersey. "As we're getting under way, we're seeing the dividends of the Recovery Act being paid right now."




Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/06/08/newyork.rail.tunnel/index.html

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Yay mass transit! Yay end of urban neglect! Yay Obama! :Obama:

[Cant trust em]

1. I love the stimulus bill.

I'm going to be thanking President Obama for a long time for this great win.

[billyoc]

2. 10 year job.

I'm buyin'!

[marmar]

3. Good in one way.....but sad that a commuter tunnel is the nation's largest mass transit project.....

n/t

[billyoc]

5. Well, actually, it's just the first one ready to go.

I doubt it will remain the biggest for long.

[marybourg]

7. It's a TRAIN tunnel, not an auto tunnel.

What's wrong with that?

[marmar]

9. Umm, yeah, I noticed.....

..... Nothing's WRONG with it, I'm just observing that it's SAD that a rail tunnel is the biggest mass transit project going in the country.....As in, I wish there were many more and larger projects, such as new subway and rail systems, n'est-ce pas?
Jeezus.

:eyes:

[bbinacan]

4. I hope to hell it

is better than the BIG DIG in Boston.

[JayMusgrove]

6. Amen to THAT!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Big Dig was originally estimated at 3 to 4 Billion, now exceeded 15 Billion when completed, and there are leaks, and still the traffic jams up in Boston, and office buildings built outside of Boston on 128/495 and between those two superhighways, sit empty.

When one plans a massive new transportation highway or tunnel, one needs to look 30-50 miles outside of the city, see all the ways that highway or tunnel will change the lives of people 50 miles around that urban area. Right now, few people think that far away or that far ahead.

I live 30 miles from Boston, and have dozens of vacant office buildings built when Boston traffic jams were so un=conducive for doint business in Boston. Now they are empty, partially because of the recession, and partially because the growth in the greater Boston are over the 20 years while the Big Dig was built had gone in another direction.

Good luck, NYC, and be sure you look 30-50 miles outside of your city for what will happen 10 years from now.

[marybourg]

8. NYC suburbs stretch 70-100 miles already. Have for years. nt.

[eilen]

10. NYC Suburbs encompass much of Southern NY, NJ, western Connecticut and a portion of PA.

My FIL used to live in Yardley PA and commute to NY. It's a short drive to the train station in Princeton. People commute from Duchess County via rail and auto, and once hi speed rail is built -- they will commute from Albany. There is currently Amtrak routes from Toronto to NY along the Erie Canal corridor. I am sure a line East to Boston would not be far behind.

[lunatica]

11. Will this be part of the fast rail connecting the East Coast?

[cslinger59]

12. High speed rail

I would love to see high speed rail come into being in the united states. We have vast open stretches that would be perfect for 200mph trains etc. and my guess is these could also increase cargo delivery speed at a competitive cost and resource use vs. trucking.

This is one area that I whole heartedly agree with this administration.

Chris