Sherrill Pledges Legal Battle Over Trump’s Decision to Cut Gateway Tunnel Funding

Representative Mikie Sherrill said Thursday that if she becomes governor of New Jersey, she will seek to dispute President Donald Trump’s claim that the $16 billion Gateway Hudson River rail tunnel project is “terminated.” At the Secaucus rail station, Sherrill said blocking the project would delay, cost roughly a million dollars each day, and risk thousands of employment.

Sherrill called Trump’s decision politically motivated and damaging to infrastructure and interstate transit. The Gateway Tunnel is a state concern and a crucial link in the regional train network from New Jersey to Penn Station, she added. The current tunnels are almost a century old and damaged by storms and wear, making the new project necessary for reliable, high-capacity passenger and freight rail operations.

By cutting federal assistance, Sherrill feels the government is harming New Jersey’s economy and transit. She said New Jersey needs a governor who can fight the White House when federal policies harm the state and blasted her Republican opponent, Jack Ciattarelli, for not criticizing the decision.

Trump’s action occurred during a partial government shutdown. Due to federal contract diversity, justice, and inclusion difficulties, his administration halted $18 billion in infrastructure spending, including the Gateway Tunnel and Second Avenue Metro. Trump called the toll tunnel project “terminated,” while transportation experts say infrastructure building continues.

Authorities and New York Senator Chuck Schumer called the termination spiteful and harmful to the region. They warned that commuters, the economy, and job development will suffer without support. In days after the announcement, Sherrill accused the government of using infrastructure projects as political leverage and promised to hold them accountable in court.

The Gateway Tunnel controversy has dominated New Jersey’s governor contest. Sherrill promotes infrastructure and workers. Trump-endorsed Ciattarelli has condemned the shutdown that froze funding while defending his friendship with him.

Sherrill’s promise to suit underlines the issue with less than three weeks until the election. The decision could impact the governorship and one of America’s most important transit projects.

Sources
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