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That's what the Associated Press is saying, second-hand from an article in the Asbury Park Press. It's being predicated on a faulty premise though, that of being the first step of the thirty-year plan already discussed in another thread.
quote:Amtrak, NJ Transit discuss partnership to build canceled ARC Hudson River tunnel
Published: Monday, November 08, 2010, 11:43 AM Updated: Monday, November 08, 2010, 11:55 AM
TRENTON — Amtrak and NJ Transit are discussing the possibility of a partnership to revive a huge train tunnel project that Gov. Chris Christie killed last month, according to officials at both agencies.
Al Engel, Amtrak's Vice President of High Speed Rail, told the Asbury Park Press for today's editions that the government-owned passenger rail system is looking into using the Hudson River tunnel for high-speed rail.
A partnership with NJ Transit "would be the immediate strategy" to quickly get two tracks built under the Hudson River, Engel said. The talks are beginning to explore whether the work that has been done could be salvaged for Amtrak's needs.
NJ Transit spokesman Paul Wyckoff confirmed the conversations, but called them "more exploratory than preliminary."
"We discuss things with Amtrak all the time, especially since they own the corridor and we use it," Wyckoff said. "We're always talking to them about better ways to make use of the infrastructure to benefit New Jersey."
Amtrak and NJ Transit currently share a century-old, two-track tunnel under the river that has been at capacity for years.
The project would have added two more tracks in a new tunnel. It was expected to cost about $9 billion, with costs split by New Jersey, the federal government and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
Work on it began last year, but Christie killed the project last month, saying the overrun costs would be too much for his state's taxpayers.
As he announced his decision to kill the project last month, Christie mentioned the possibility of forming a partnership with Amtrak to build a new tunnel, but has said no substantive discussions had taken place.
In September, Amtrak unveiled its vision for a $117 billion high-speed rail line that would require building a new set of tracks along the entire Northeast Corridor, from Boston to Washington, D.C.
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