(The office of Senator Frank R. Lautenberg issued the following on January 7, 2010.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) today applauded NJ Transit for awarding the first contract for work on the New Jersey side of the new Mass Transit Tunnel. The work from the $271 million contract is expected to create hundreds of jobs for New Jerseyans. The $8.7 billion tunnel is the nation’s largest mass transit project and will be financed through a partnership between the Federal Government, the State of New Jersey, and the Port Authority of New York/New Jersey.
“This is great news for New Jersey. This contract marks another important milestone in our effort to put thousands of people to work improving mass transportation infrastructure in our region,” stated Sen. Lautenberg. “This new tunnel will help ease traffic for New Jersey commuters, strengthen our region’s economy and enhance our security. Our residents can count on us to keep fighting to move this critical project forward.”
The construction of the Mass Transit Tunnel project will create 6,000 construction jobs a year and when complete, the new tunnel will take 22,000 cars off the road daily and create 44,000 permanent jobs.
Once completed, the Mass Transit Tunnel will double service capacity to 48 trains per hour during peak periods from the current 23 trains. Twice as many passengers will be accommodated, from 46,000 each morning peak period now to 90,000 in the future. The project also will also create transfer-free, one-seat rides for travelers on 11 of NJ Transit’s 12 rail lines.
In June, Lautenberg and Sen. Robert Menendez joined Governor Jon Corzine, FTA Administrator Peter Rogoff, and federal, state and local officials to break ground on the Mass Transit Tunnel project, the largest transit public works project in America.