New Jersey
Gateway gets full funding for $12 billion cross-Hudson tunnel – New Jersey Globe
Officials from New Jersey and New York convened in Manhattan on Monday to celebrate a funding agreement that finalizes a long-awaited cross-Hudson rail project that will double capacity and boost the reliability of the plagued railway.
Monday morning’s signing ceremony served as a victory lap for the Gateway project’s advocates, who credited the Biden administration for the $6.8 billion grant that pushed the railway expansion to the “point of no return.” The federal government will now cover about 70 percent of the cost of the Gateway Program, which consists of a series of bridge and tunnel projects planned through 2038.
The project is expected to stabilize the stretch of troubled tracks — NJ Transit commuters have faced repeated hours-long delays in recent weeks after Amtrak-managed railways suffered wiring issues.
The Biden administration’s $12 billion total commitment to the Gateway project constitutes the largest federal investment in a rail transit project in modern history. Loans from the Build America Bureau reaching $4.06 billion will cover the local share of the cost.
“Today is a day of making investments, the biggest investment of taxpayers in a transportation project ever,” said Senator Cory Booker. “This is a day of coming back to who we say we are, a nation that invests in itself so we can grow our nation, grow our economy, and continue to lead the world.”
Democrats used the event to laud President Joe Biden, who has faced some pressure to end his reelection campaign after a middling debate performance last month.
Booker, for example, said former President Donald Trump held up environmental reviews and other steps necessary for the project.
“If there’s any reason we’re here today, it’s because when President Joe Biden was elected, he said this is the No. 1 infrastructure project in the United States of American,” Booker said. “And I want to thank President Joe Biden for his focus, for his commitment, and for helping us in Congress, in the Senate, to deliver what we see today.”
And Deputy Transportation Secretary Polly Trottenberg, who represented the administration at the ceremony, criticized Trump for “racking up costs and delaying this important work.”
“He really is Amtrak Joe,” Trottenberg said. “I’m proud to say we are all in, from the top to bottom.”
Expect New Jersey Republicans to also tout Gateway as a victory: Rep. Tom Kean (R-Westfield), who faces a tight reelection race against Sue Altman, has used his seat on the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee to push for the Gateway project.
Construction on one part of the project, the new Portal North Bridge spanning the Hackensack River, started two years ago, but the funding agreement wraps up a yearslong fight to secure money for what will be a decade-long project.
The Gateway project includes the construction of two new rail tunnels and the revamp of the existing North River Tunnel — the new tunnels are projected to enter service in 2035, and the revamp is expected to conclude in 2038. The Portal North Bridge, which replaces the more than century-old Portal Bridge that is a regular source of delays and congestion, is scheduled for a 2025 partial completion.
Later stages of the project, which include a planned expansion of New York Penn Station, will make possible a four-track railway from Newark Penn Station to New York.
“Please have some patience, this is not going to be overnight,” Gov. Phil Murphy said during the event. “But when it finally hits, it will transform literally millions of lives, and I’m honored to be a part of that.”
Tony Coscia, the chair of Amtrak’s Board of Directors and the vice chair of the Gateway Development Commission, said the project will double NJ Transit and Amtrak capacity from 450 trains per day to 900.
“The new Hudson River Tunnel will supercharge the rail connections across our region and to the nation, improving and expanding rail service in ways we’ve only been able to dream about in the past,” Coscia said in a release.
Senator Bob Menendez, a staunch proponent of the Gateway program, was absent from the ceremony — his corruption trial is approaching closing arguments — but offered his praise in a statement Monday.
“Hard-working New Jerseyans have waited too long for faster, safer, and more reliable public transit along the Northeast Corridor, and now help is on the way,” Menendez said.
Memories of former Gov. Chris Christie’s cancellation of a prior rail project hung heavy over the proceedings — several speakers lauded the expansion but said it should have started years ago. Christie in 2010 controversially pulled New Jersey out of the Access to the Region’s Core project, which started in 2009 and was slated for completion in 2018.
“Like a lot of you, I too in the Obama administration had the heartbreaking experience of watching a previous New Jersey governor cancel the original project,” Trottenberg said. “It was such a frustrating moment.”
But at Monday’s celebration, officials thanked themselves, their counterparts from across the Hudson, and the Biden administration for building the framework of the landmark project.
“The Gateway race was truly a marathon, with its twists, its turns, its bumps,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said at Monday’s signing ceremony. “But we laced up, we kept up the pace, and we made it.”
New Jersey
Hudson River Rivalry Matinee Matchup | PREVIEW | New Jersey Devils
New Jersey host the NY Rangers at Prudential Center for the first time this season.
You can watch on MSGSN or listen on the Devils Hockey Network.
Read below for your game preview and pre-game story below. Tonight’s game is sponsored by
New Jersey
New Jersey hit by seafood recall for norovirus outbreak
🐟 Food & Drug Administration issues recall alert for norovirus
🐟 15 states impacted including New Jersey
🐟 Norovirus spreads easily and quickly
Federal authorities are warning of potentially contaminated seafood sold by a California company to several states including New Jersey.
The alert of a norovirus outbreak was issued by S&M Shellfish Co. of San Francisco on Thursday, according to the Food and Drug Administration.
It affects oysters harvested in British Columbia, Canada by Pacific Northwest Shellfish and Union Bay Seafood.
The oysters were distributed to restaurants and retailers under several brand names.
The brands include Fanny Bay, Buckley Bay, and Royal Miyagi.
Oysters sold as these brands harvested between Dec. 1 and Dec. 9 should be thrown away. They are potentially contaminated with norovirus.
These oysters were also sold in the neighboring states of Pennsylvania and New York, the FDA said.
Are you sick from norovirus?
People who eat food contaminated with norovirus will usually know within 12 to 48 hours, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Where to enjoy the Feast of the Seven Fishes in New Jersey
Symptoms aren’t subtle; they will often include diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and stomach pain. Fever, headache, and body aches are also possible.
The combination of diarrhea and vomiting can leave people severely dehydrated, especially young children, older adults, and those with other illnesses.
Most people sick with norovirus will recover within a few days. However, they should be careful around others because they can continue to spread the virus for another few days.
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New Jersey
‘Weekend Update’: Bowen Yang Returns As Unfairly Besieged Inanimate Object — This Time A Drone Flying Above New Jersey
In a return to form, Saturday Night Live‘s “Weekend Update” featured Bowen Yang as another aggrieved inanimate object standing up for themselves (hat tip to previous performances as the Titanic iceberg and viral pygmy hippo Moo Deng).
During this week’s final episode of the year, with host Martin Short and musical guest Hozier, Yang portrayed a besieged and mysterious drone flying over New Jersey. Introduced by co-host Michael Che, Yang began without missing a beat, “Hey, wow, indoors — this is different.”
When asked by Che “what” he was exactly, Yang answered: “OK, no, we’re not gonna do that. See, I know what I am, and I don’t have to explain myself to anyone at any time for any reason.”
He continued, justifying his actions flying high in the sky for no discernible reason: “All y’all hate me ’cause I’m up. Everybody’s like, ‘Is it a UFO, is it military, is it promo for SNL 50?’ Meanwhile, I’m just minding my business, hovering over people’s homes, maybe filming them. Also, what is so threatening about random machines in the night sky? God, it’s like y’all have never been to Afghanistan before.”
As Che relayed that the government has said the drones are probably “manned,” Yang quipped: “What’s this obsession with whether I’m ‘manned’ or not? For the record, I can get a man whenever I want. Trust me, there’s no problem there.”
He conceded, however, that he does have a boo: “I’m dating the helicopter from Succession, if you must know.”
In a rousing end, Yang as the drone broke out into song, mirroring the lyrics to Elphaba’s “Defying Gravity,” belting out that nobody is “ever gonna bring me down.” (Yang was a prominent cast member in this year’s blockbuster Wicked: Part One, opposite Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, who portrayed Elphaba.)
“For what be a drone but a mirror to society — and potentially a killing machine?” he posited.
Outside of Yang’s appearance, co-hosts Colin Jost and Che rattled through a few timely jokes, including about alleged UnitedHealthcare shooter Luigi Mangione‘s recent arrival to New York City, which drew loud cheers from the audience. Jost joked that the cheers were for “justice” and that, relatedly, “Bumble exploded” upon his return to the city.
Also, Che and Jost participated in their tradition of joke-swapping, during which Jost was forced to talk in a “Black voice” and poke fun at wife and actress Scarlett Johansson. Meanwhile, Che was forced to joke about being present at Sean Combs’ parties and comment on the rape allegations facing Jay-Z.
See “Weekend Update” below:
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