NJ Transit suspends work on Access to the Region’s Core project

New Jersey Transit announced that new work on its Access to the Region's Core (ARC) tunnel project would be suspended for 30 days. The delay would not affect ongoing work, but is intended to allow officials to re-examine the project's budget. Concerns have been raised that the nine-mile, $8.7 billion commuter-rail link connecting New York and New Jersey could be up to $1 billion over budget, according to the news report. The project includes two new tunnels under the Hudson River, new tracks between Secaucus Junction and New York's Penn Station, and a new rail station beneath 34th Street in Manhattan. The project will enable NJ Transit to double rail service into Manhattan, free up capacity for Amtrak, and reduce travel times and crowding on trains at Penn Station.

NJ is getting hammered with the economy but I hope this rail project continues. The NY-NJ metro area needs more rail capacity. Perhaps NJ is trying to get the US government to pay a bigger chunk so they are on the hook for less?