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.”
A notorious mob hitman who once testified against John “Junior” Gotti before cleaning up his life and becoming a councilman in New Jersey has been arrested on extortion and loansharking charges that, if proven, reflect a return to the lifestyle of his youth.
John Alite, 63, was arrested on Friday in New Jersey, where he was sworn in early last year as a councilman in the borough of Englishtown. Released after a court appearance Saturday, Alite is scheduled to return to court for a detention hearing Wednesday.
His attorney, Douglas Anton, responding to an email seeking comment, said he did not want to speak about the case before the next court appearance.
Alite faces multiple counts of extortion, corporate misconduct, loansharking and terroristic threats.
Alite provided loans at exorbitant rates before threatening violence to collect on them, authorities said, citing the discovery in his home of metal knuckles, an expandable baton, six baseball bats and about two dozen knives, including switchblades.
The baseball bats, authorities said, included one stored near his home’s front door and five more in a kitchen storage bench.
An officer of the New Jersey State Police, an investigative arm of the attorney general’s office, said in court papers that it appeared that the weapons found in Alite’s residence were intended for use in collecting debts.
According to court papers, Alite had threatened one person he had lent money to, saying he would strike him across the head with a baseball bat if he didn’t meet his demands.
Alite also had bragged that he had in the past endeavored to “gut” people like “fish,” the court papers said.
In a release, prosecutors said Alite carried out crimes in part through his corporation, Straightened-Out Entertainment Inc.
They said he illegally obtained property and money from his victims by threats of violence in ways that reflected his 2009 testimony at a Gotti trial that ended with a deadlocked jury.
Alite told a Manhattan federal court jury that he killed a childhood friend to earn respect from fellow mobsters.
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The Garden State set a record for monthly iGaming revenue in May. Read how much for the biggest month ever in New Jersey iGaming.
New Jersey online casinos have been going strong all year, but May 2026 was especially notable. The Garden State’s iGaming market earned a record-breaking $276.3 million last month. This amount eclipsed the previous record of $273.2 million set in December 2025.
NJ online casino revenue for May 2026: $276.3 million
The $276.3 million earned in May 2026 represents an 11.9% year-over-year (YoY) increase from May 2025, when NJ online casinos earned $246.8 million.
This was yet another strong month and double-digit increase for New Jersey iGaming. The state had an identical 11.9% YoY uptick last month, when iCasinos made $263.1 million.
Year-to-date earnings for New Jersey gaming sites are $1.32 billion through May 2026. That’s up 14.4% compared to the same time period last year, when New Jersey had $1.16 billion through May 2025.
Golden Nugget enjoyed the strongest month
According to the May 2026 New Jersey iGaming revenue report, the Golden Nugget brand led all NJ iCasinos with $86.45 million. Of the three online casinos operating under Golden Nugget’s license, FanDuel made the most with $63.24 million from casino games online. BetRivers and Golden Nugget Online earned $12.43 million and $10.79 million, respectively.
Resorts Casino Hotel had the second-best month with $53.89 million. It doesn’t break down revenue by each online casino. But DraftKings is the biggest operator on this license on account of its progressive jackpot slots.
Retail casinos stay flat
Last month, brick-and-mortar casinos joined in the party with an 11.7% YoY increase. This month was a different story. New Jersey land-based casinos made $265.6 million in May 2026, just a 0.1% increase over the $256.3 million made the previous May.
The Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa had the best month among NJ retail casinos, earning $72.9 million. Hard Rock Atlantic City also had a solid month with $49.9 million, while Ocean Resorts rounded out the top three with $46.8 million.
Sports betting sees a big revenue decrease
In April 2026, sports betting had the largest growth out of New Jersey gambling verticals with a 12.8% YoY increase. However, May 2026 was a different story since NJ bookmakers earned $85.2 million—a 16.9% decrease from the $102.5 million made in the previous May.
The Garden State isn’t an outlier here since other states, like New York and Pennsylvania, also struggled with sports gambling revenue last month. US sportsbooks largely saw a smaller hold in May 2026 and are also dealing with increased competition from prediction markets.
iGaming continues to lead the way
Total gaming revenue for the state was $627.1 million in May 2026, representing a 2.0% YoY increase from the $614.7 million made in the previous May.
iGaming definitely looks to carry the torch moving forward. Many gambling operators are banking on real-money online slots to boost their revenue, while retail casinos and sports betting are currently struggling.
Responsible gambling
Legal US online casinos promote responsible play by allowing players to limit losses, sessions, wagers, and logins. They also offer timeout options for account breaks lasting days to weeks. Self-exclusion is a long-term option that shuts off access to an account for months or years.
NEW YORK (WABC) — Commuters are being warned to plan ahead Monday as the FIFA World Cup match between Norway and Senegal at MetLife Stadium is expected to create significant travel disruptions during the evening rush hour.
City officials have issued a Gridlock Alert Day for Monday, citing the 8 p.m. kickoff, expected heavy traffic and the potential for severe weather, including strong thunderstorms and heavy rain.
The biggest impact will be felt at Penn Station, where NJ Transit service to New Jersey will be restricted beginning at 3:20 p.m.
From 3:20 p.m. until 7:01 p.m., New Jersey-bound trains departing Penn Station and Secaucus Junction will be reserved exclusively for World Cup ticket holders traveling to MetLife Stadium. Fans must have both a match ticket and an NJ Transit ticket to board.
That means regular commuters heading home to New Jersey during that time will need to find alternate transportation, including PATH trains, ferries or buses.
Officials are encouraging commuters who normally rely on NJ Transit to leave earlier in the day if possible.
Round-trip NJ Transit tickets to MetLife Stadium are still available for $98. However, all 12,000 seats on shuttle buses departing from Grand Central Terminal, the Port Authority Bus Terminal and Columbus Circle have sold out for Monday’s match.
Street closures around Penn Station will also begin no later than 2 p.m. to accommodate security screening and fan queues. Officials say 33rd Street between Seventh and Eighth avenues and 32nd Street between Sixth and Seventh avenues will remain closed until after 8 p.m., while 33rd Street between Sixth and Seventh avenues is expected to reopen after 1 a.m.
The restrictions mirror what travelers experienced during last week’s World Cup match, when thousands of fans packed transit hubs across the region.
NJ Transit President and CEO Kris Kolluri thanked city officials for helping manage crowds around Penn Station.
“I’m so grateful to the City of New York and Mayor Mamdani for setting up a great system outside Penn Station to process the fans from a security standpoint,” Kolluri said.
He also urged commuters to remain patient as the region hosts the international tournament.
“My one ask is that this is a very amazing opportunity for the region and for the state of New Jersey. I know commuters have busy lives and they are trying to earn a living. We’re asking for a little patience,” Kolluri said.
Officials say NJ Transit transported more than 26,000 fans during the June 16 World Cup match, with additional crowds expected for Monday night’s game.
Drivers are also being warned to expect significant delays near MetLife Stadium, particularly along Route 3.
City officials continue to encourage residents and visitors to walk, bike or use public transportation whenever possible.
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