US Construction Project Halts Due to Trump's Funding Defunds, Leaving $16 Billion Effort in Limbo
A massive construction project under the Hudson River is grinding to a halt after President Donald Trump ordered the withholding of funding. The $16 billion Gateway Development Commission project, which aims to build two new sets of rail tunnels beneath the waterway, has exhausted its financial resources and will shut down due to lack of funds.
The project, which relies almost entirely on federal grants and loans approved under former President Joe Biden's administration, is now facing an uncertain future. The Gateway CEO Tom Prendergast described the halt as a "setback," adding that the commission had done everything in its power to prevent any interruptions to the construction process.
However, shutting down such a massive project isn't as simple as turning off the lights. It will take nearly a year of work and $15 million to $20 million per month to wind down the operation, which includes securing the five construction sites and restoring damaged areas.
The project's leaders have been engaged in a lawsuit against the Trump administration, demanding a payout of $205 million in federal payments that have been withheld over the past four months. New York and New Jersey have also filed similar lawsuits to force the money to flow.
The shutdown will result in the abandonment of massive job sites on both sides of the Hudson River, requiring extensive repairs to backfill holes dug for the tunnels. Fences must be built around the sites, security guards hired, and a section of the West Side Highway in Manhattan restored.
In addition, workers operating massive boring machines that carved out parts of the tunnel will need to be mothballed, while another machine set to arrive next month is also at risk of being grounded due to lack of funds.
Gateway officials have warned that even if funding is eventually restored, it may take months to get work started again due to the loss of skilled laborers who have found jobs on other projects.
A massive construction project under the Hudson River is grinding to a halt after President Donald Trump ordered the withholding of funding. The $16 billion Gateway Development Commission project, which aims to build two new sets of rail tunnels beneath the waterway, has exhausted its financial resources and will shut down due to lack of funds.
The project, which relies almost entirely on federal grants and loans approved under former President Joe Biden's administration, is now facing an uncertain future. The Gateway CEO Tom Prendergast described the halt as a "setback," adding that the commission had done everything in its power to prevent any interruptions to the construction process.
However, shutting down such a massive project isn't as simple as turning off the lights. It will take nearly a year of work and $15 million to $20 million per month to wind down the operation, which includes securing the five construction sites and restoring damaged areas.
The project's leaders have been engaged in a lawsuit against the Trump administration, demanding a payout of $205 million in federal payments that have been withheld over the past four months. New York and New Jersey have also filed similar lawsuits to force the money to flow.
The shutdown will result in the abandonment of massive job sites on both sides of the Hudson River, requiring extensive repairs to backfill holes dug for the tunnels. Fences must be built around the sites, security guards hired, and a section of the West Side Highway in Manhattan restored.
In addition, workers operating massive boring machines that carved out parts of the tunnel will need to be mothballed, while another machine set to arrive next month is also at risk of being grounded due to lack of funds.
Gateway officials have warned that even if funding is eventually restored, it may take months to get work started again due to the loss of skilled laborers who have found jobs on other projects.
! $16 billion down the drain because Trump can't get his act together? 
The people of New York and New Jersey are going to pay for this with their hard-earned money...I mean, who needs that kind of infrastructure project anyway? 
It's not like they were expecting any major problems with the construction process or something 
. But seriously, what's next? Is he gonna cancel all the other projects too just because it doesn't align with his politics? 
The US is already behind in so many areas when it comes to infrastructure...
And now they're saying it'll take a year to wind down the operation? That's just wild 
. I'm all for holding people in charge accountable and stuff, but this feels like it's getting out of hand 
. Can't we just find a way to make it work or something? 
, you can't even begin to imagine all the hidden passages and secret rooms.
. I'm not sayin' it's true, but you can't rule out all possibilities, right?
. Someone's gonna come clean about what's really goin' on here, mark my words 
.
, a 16 billion dollar project and we're just gonna shut it down because Trump's being a sore loser? 
...and the best part is, we get to foot the bill for all these layoffs and repairs 
. It's just another example of how Trump doesn't care about getting things done as long as he gets his way 
It's not like they're just gonna pick up and move to another project.
What's goin' on with these new tunnel plans? Can't we just get this done already?! 
it's not just about the money, it's also about the lives affected - those workers who were counting on their jobs... 
and now they're stuck with nothin' 
and what about all that progress made so far?! 
. Can we afford to wait another year or two for this project to be completed? It's just not adding up... 
. Plus, they gotta deal with lawsuits from NY & NJ for that $205 million 
. Trump's just being...Trump, you know? 
that's like, millions of people losing their jobs and it's all 'cause of politics... 
gotta keep an eye on this one 
. I just don't get it, man... 
. And now we have to deal with the aftermath of a shutdown... it's like they're just expecting us to wave our hands and make everything okay 
. Newsflash: it takes more than just waving a hand to fix this 
We need to know what's going on here. This is just a huge waste of resources...