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NEW YORK – Roosevelt was president during the construction of the North River Tunnel, which carries hundreds of thousands of passengers every day between New Jersey and New York City.
Theodore Roosevelt, that is to say
Governor Phil Murphy emphasized Monday that one of the prominent Garden State Democrats and he had visited the Hudson River Tunnel , 108 years old, to get an idea of its conditions.
The power regained by their party in Washington, officials have emerged once again, imploring the administration of Republican President Donald Trump to give the go-ahead to the $ 13 billion federal Gateway project funding and delayed, which would build a new tunnel and reorganize the current tunnel.
"It was a feat of technical prowess at the time," said Murphy about the tunnel that was opened in 1910. "But it's high time to update and update it. l & # 39; improve ".
Murphy was joined by two US state senators, Rober Menendez and Cory Booker, as well as a handful of members of the US House and Speaker of the National Assembly, Craig Coughlin, as they boarded an Amtrak train to visit the North River Tunnel, not only getting older, but badly damaged by Hurricane Sandy in 2012. [19659002] Murphy stated that what they had seen on Monday was "rather alarming, it is the least we can say."
"I beg the federal government to do its part and to do its part," the governor told reporters at the Penn Station in New York
Booker and Menendez warned that time was running out
" It kills our area, "said Booker. "Everyone who faces the significant delays we see on a regular basis knows that it undermines the quality of life for millions and millions of people.
Amtrak views the tunnel and the bridge as one of the many bottlenecks of the Northeast Corridor, one of the busiest railway lines in the country.
"From my point of view, we are sitting a time bomb transport, and we do not have the luxury to wait," Menendez said.
Although former President Barack Obama promised to pay half the cost and Trump initially rented the project, Trump then reversed his trajectory and threatened to close down. the federal government rather than providing funds.
The New Jersey Democrats have been asking him to reconsider his decision for months. But now, one major element is different: their party has regained control of the US House, which has given them a crucial negotiating currency in negotiations with Trump.
"That's what gives us leverage," said freshman Tom Malinowski, a D-7th Dis representative recently appointed to the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Infrastructure legislation.
Gateway Tunnel is a huge problem for New Jersey. Now that House Dems has the power, it makes it a top priority.
"We have just seen what a united Democratic caucus in the House can do to strengthen the position of the White House," he added. Trump agreed to reopen the federal government last week without funding for a border wall. "I think we can do that for transportation and Gateway in particular this year."
The Democrats argued that this issue would not only benefit the passengers of two states, but emphasized that the project was of national significance because 20% The gross domestic product of the United States depends on this region.
"And it is the artery that makes this book every day successfully," said Menendez.
State Representatives United States were also present Frank Pallone, D-6e, Albio Siries, D-8th Dis .; Bill Pascrell, D-9th Dist .; Mikie Sherrill, D-11th Dist., And Bonnie Watson Coleman, D-12th Dist.
Watson Coleman now sits on the House Credits Subcommittee, which drafts the annual transportation bill.
Also Monday, Pascrell, Sires and Menendez sent a letter to US Secretary of Transportation Elaine Cho requesting support for the project and to avoid any delay in slowing it down.
NJ Advance Media Staff Writers Larry Higgs and Jonathan D. Salant contributed to this report.
Brent Johnson could be reached at [email protected] . Follow him on Twitter @ johnsb01 . Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook
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