(The following story by Judy Rife appeared on the Times Herald-Record website on February 6.)
NEWARK, N.J. — The Federal Transit Administration has raised its rating for the new commuter rail tunnel and Midtown station known as Access to the Region’s Core to “medium high,” increasing the $7 billion project’s chances of receiving federal funding.
“This rating recognizes ARC nationally as a critical transportation project and demonstrates why it is important to have New Jersey’s local funding commitment in hand,” said Gov. Jon S. Corzine.
The FTA updates its ratings for projects eligible for its New Starts program every year as they as they progress through the development process. The agency noted that NJ Transit and the Port Authority have now “put together an experienced design team and performed thorough analysis of project requirements.”
Only projects that receive a rating of medium or higher, on a low, medium and high scale, qualify for federal funding — but the rating alone doesn’t guarantee it. And federal funding these days rarely exceeds 40 percent of a project’s cost.
Corzine, despite the state’s fiscal woes, has set aside $1 billion toward the project and the Port Authority, another $2 billion to demonstrate the degree of local commitment — often a key factor in how generous the federal government is.
“ARC is critical for preserving our region’s economic growth, improving our mobility, and protecting our environment for generations,” said Anthony R. Coscia, the Port Authority’s chairman.
The project will double commuter rail capacity to Midtown, supplementing Amtrak’s 100-year-old tunnel and cramped Pennsylvania Station. In doing so, it will give commuters from North Jersey and Orange and Rockland counties in New York a one-seat ride to the city.
NJ Transit and the Port Authority are putting the finishing touches on a supplemental environmental review in preparation for the final step in the process, known as a record of decision. Preliminary engineering, greenlighted by the FTA last year, is already under way. Groundbreaking is anticipated next year.