Gov. Cuomo To Transportation Secretary: Feds Need To Pay More For Hudson Rail Tunnel
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- In a letter written to the federal transportation secretary Friday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo criticized Washington's proposed investment in a new rail tunnel under the Hudson River.
In the letter, Cuomo tells Secretary Anthony Foxx that federal law requires Amtrak to maintain the tunnels and that plans for a new $14 billion tunnel connecting New York and New Jersey are not "viable" without a "substantial'' federal investment.
The letter comes amid a spate of train troubles for NJ TRANSIT and Amtrak in recent weeks.
In late July, commuters and travelers dealt with more than a week of canceled and delayed trains, blamed mostly on equipment failure during some of the hottest days of the year so far.
Cuomo said Amtrak's northeast system will become "disabled'' without a new tunnel.
The federal government has promised to cover $3 billion of the project, though Cuomo said federal officials will only agree to lend the money.
Foxx has called a meeting with Cuomo and Gov. Chris Christie to discuss the project.
(TM and © Copyright 2015 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
