The Most Awful Transit Center in America Could Get Unimaginably Worse

As the op-ed says that claim came TWO YEARS after the cancellation. The cancellation at the time of the actual act was justified by Christie on the financial issues listed in the op ed. And the op-ed recognises that this was his "rationale"

"The cancellation made Christie a darling of the conservative budget-cutting movement, instantly raising his profile as a GOP up-and-comer. Two years later, he was still crowing about his courageous act before conservative audiences.

His depiction of the project was typically blustering and deceitful: "They want to build a tunnel to the basement of Macy’s, and stick the New Jersey taxpayers with a bill," he said. You'd think that was pretty funny, unless you were a New Jersey commuter who knew that the "basement of Macy's" in midtown Manhattan is actually Pennsylvania Station, where the commuter trains go. 

By then, Christie's rationale for killing the tunnel had been exposed as a passel of lies. He had claimed that it would cost more than $14 billion, and that New Jersey would be on a "never-ending hook" for 70% of the cost. In fact, as the Government Accountability Office reported, $14 billion was the maximum estimate, and $10 billion the most likely final bill. And New Jersey's share was 14.4%, not 70%."

Considering the tunnel could have been completed this year, anything that goes wrong under the Hudson between now and when Gateway (or whatever is finally built) is completed is the sum total of what Christie sacrificed to his presidential ambitions. 

That includes hundreds of billions of dollars of economic activity, losses of equipment and lives, and declines in real estate value in NJ commuter communities. 

What a great campaign. Hope it was as good for you as it was for him.

Regardless of the merits or lack there of it never would have been done this year. You referred to the LIRR tunnel. Look how much longer than expected that is taking. 

tom said:

Considering the tunnel could have been completed this year, anything that goes wrong under the Hudson between now and when Gateway (or whatever is finally built) is completed is the sum total of what Christie sacrificed to his presidential ambitions. 

That includes hundreds of billions of dollars of economic activity, losses of equipment and lives, and declines in real estate value in NJ commuter communities. 

What a great campaign. Hope it was as good for you as it was for him.

Yes, yes, yes, yes. Every damn time, say thank you, Chris Christie.

shoshannah said:


Yes, yes, yes, yes. Every damn time, say thank you, Chris Christie.

It feels good to blame him.

However, the real fault lies with the NJ voters. I can see voting for him the first time. But the second time?

ska said:

Regardless of the merits or lack there of it never would have been done this year. You referred to the LIRR tunnel. Look how much longer than expected that is taking. 

It certainly would have been finished sooner than the current alternative -- which for practical purposes doesn't exist. 

Do any trains from Newark Penn go to Hoboken? (other than PATH?) Has there ever been any thought of extending PATH to EWR?  (sorry if this is discussed elsewhere - I no longer live in the area but travel there often).