Chris Christie’s Political Ambitions Confront Need for U.S. Tunnel Aid
Republican presidential candidate, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie takes a photo with people gathered at Western Gateway Park for the Italian American Heritage Festival on July 25, 2015 in Des Moines, Iowa.
Photo by Scott Olson/Getty ImagesGovernor Chris Christie’s effort to win the Republican presidential nomination could be at odds with a looming New Jersey transportation crisis that may force him to seek billions of dollars in federal money for a new rail tunnel.
A rash of recent delays on New Jersey Transit trains has revived talks on Gateway, a $16 billion link under the Hudson River meant to ease Manhattan commuter congestion. Christie, scheduled to meet Tuesday with U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, has said the federal government must contribute more than it initially pledged.