Ohhhh! I don't like what you're inferring my friend

This is going to make the Big Dig look like a driveway project that went a day late because it rained.

I almost afraid to ask what it will cost for a passenger vehicle to use the tunnel.

5 Billion of that is just air fresheners to hang in the tunnel...

Lemme guess...subby's from Boston.

How's that "Big Dig" comin' along for ya?

By the time is tunnel is done, we're all going to have flying cars and won't need it.

Haven't folks learned anything from the big dig?

As if New York corruption is negligible? Spoken like a true New Jersey resident.

dervish16108: As if New York corruption is negligible? Spoken like a true New Jersey resident.

This project is the warm-up to the Great Tappan Zee Bridge Boondoggle of 2011-2235.

Yet another infrastructure project that was created by overpopulation.

And when is that gaping hole at Ground Zero going to be a skyscraper?

Slightly off topic, but can any NY Farkers tell me what the HELL is going on at the 96th and Broadway subway station? It's like they're building a basketball arena in the middle of the intersection or something.

67 Beetle: And when is that gaping hole at Ground Zero going to be a skyscraper?

I can answer this one: never. Next question.

67 Beetle: And when is that gaping hole at Ground Zero going to be a skyscraper?

The World Trade center was not a profitable venture. Towers are not worth it the cost to build. There will never be a 1774 foot tall tower at that location. I'd be shocked if a 10 story building is built.

bmr68: I almost afraid to ask what it will cost for a passenger vehicle to use the tunnel.

I'm going to go with infinity on that one, as it's a tunnel for commuter trains, not cars.

And Subby apparently doesn't understand the purpose of the existence of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

Please, I take NJ Transit into the city every day for work. They blame all of their delays on Amtrak not maintaining the rails, yet it's always a NJ Transit train that breaks down in the existing tunnel due to "mechanical difficulties" that causes the most backups.

Not a single train was on time last week.

Guaranteed that this tunnel won't make two licks of difference in their on-time record.

Philip J. Fry: The World Trade center was not a profitable venture

It actually broke even right around the time they sold the lease.

Philip J. Fry: Towers are not worth it the cost to build.

You're an idiot.

I'll eat my hat if this $8.7 billion project costs less than $17.4 billion.

PianoDemon: Guaranteed that this tunnel won't make two licks of difference in their on-time record.

Well, we could spend more than [almost zero] on public transit; just a thought.

thenateman: I'll eat my hat if this $8.7 billion project costs less than $17.4 billion.

How would you like your hat prepared? Aside from the Ground Zero disaster, the Port Authority has a good track record of bringing projectsin on time and under budget.

You got a problem with that?

immrlizard: Haven't folks learned anything from the big dig?

No, but we've learned plenty from the New York/New Jersey area's history of successful, long-lasting infrastructure projects.

The Brooklyn Bridge is still standing, still in use, and safer than it was when it opened. Hell, the only thing that's wrong with it is the more recently-constructed onramp on the Brooklyn side.

New York City's bridges, tunnels, and roads are kept up well and constructed well. Look at the recent South Ferry station upgrade - originally budgeted at $400 million, it ended up costing $530 million, which is not a bad cost overrun considering the massive increase in building material prices over the period it was built.

The Big Dig was managed badly. That sort of mismanagement is much rarer when it comes to NYC/NJ area projects.

bmr68: I almost afraid to ask what it will cost for a passenger vehicle to use the tunnel.

Being that it is for commuter trains, most likely a six figure fine and some prison time.

Pay no attention to the already-existing PATH tunnels and the Penn Station tunnel.

/Also, Jersey sucks, and they are the Staten Island of the United States.
//looking forward to rooting for the Brooklyn Nets
///the foot and vehicle traffic at Pacific St./Atlantic Ave., not so much
\but i don't live in Brooklyn anymore =[

The Family frowns on your shenanigans subby.

Yea, how about they actually finally finish that damn construction on Rt 1 and Rt 18 first?

NeverDrunk23: Yea, how about they actually finally finish that damn construction on Rt 1 and Rt 18 first?

I'll go slowly:

The government of the state of New Jersey DOES NOT EQUAL the Port Authority of the States of New York and New Jersey.

They are two completely different entities.

Currently, the only PATH trains to NYC are from Hoboken or Jersey City. Being able to pick one up in Secaucus would ease a lot of traffic that's on the Holland Tunnel exits off the Turnpike.

Dwight_Yeast: NeverDrunk23: Yea, how about they actually finally finish that damn construction on Rt 1 and Rt 18 first?

I'll go slowly:

The government of the state of New Jersey DOES NOT EQUAL the Port Authority of the States of New York and New Jersey.

They are two completely different entities.

Exactly. The Port Authority is the presiding body over the waterways, bridges & airports that border NY & NJ. That's why you see Port Authority cops at both Penn Stations & the airports and not NYC or Jersey cops. It was the Port Authority who added the 2nd deck to the GWB. They own Teterboro Airport. They built the World Trade Center.

They're a completely different animal than NJDOT.

The Port Authority does not manage the Brooklyn Bridge or the South Ferry Station. They control bridges/tunnels that run between NY and NJ - GWB, Holland Tunnel, Lincoln Tunnel, Bayonne Bridge, Goethals, etc. as well as the int'l airports - EWR, JFK, & LGA. The PATH trains start at Newark, Jersey City, and Hoboken.

jmmsmile: The Port Authority does not manage the Brooklyn Bridge or the South Ferry Station. They control bridges/tunnels that run between NY and NJ - GWB, Holland Tunnel, Lincoln Tunnel, Bayonne Bridge, Goethals, etc. as well as the int'l airports - EWR, JFK, & LGA. The PATH trains start at Newark, Jersey City, and Hoboken.

Good catch.

They also built/control the Outerbridge Crossing. Why is it a Crossing? Because they though "Outerbridge Bridge" would sound silly.

Dwignt_Yeast
Cool Outerbridge trivia - The Crossing was named after Eugenius H. Outerbridge, first Chairman of the Port Authority.

God forbid they should unearth an ancient arrowhead or a spear monkeyman used to fend off the dinausaursus rexicus.

Brilliant.

If we only had 2 tunnels and 1 bridge between New Jersey and New York, we wouldn't need to spend billions on another one. How about finishing the Freedom Tower™ first?

Fun fact: You have to pay a toll to leave New Jersey but not to enter it.

Dwight_Yeast: NeverDrunk23: Yea, how about they actually finally finish that damn construction on Rt 1 and Rt 18 first?

I'll go slowly:

The government of the state of New Jersey DOES NOT EQUAL the Port Authority of the States of New York and New Jersey.

They are two completely different entities.

Whoops. My mistake.

This is actually a good project. $8.7 billion for a mass transit project in an area with the highest population density in the country? I'm all for it. The NYC metro is the only area with an actually functioning mass transit system that is not an embarrassment.

Dwight_Yeast: And Subby apparently doesn't understand the purpose of the existence of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

To enrich the board members and executives of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

Flying Lasagna Monster: $8.7 billion for a mass transit project in an area with the highest population density in the country? I'm all for it.

And if you believe that the project is really going to come in at $8.7 billion and really be done in 2017, the Port Authority has a bus terminal they'd like to sell you.

The NYC metro is the only area with an actually functioning mass transit system that is not an embarrassment.

So a bloated management structure, two sets of books, 90+ percent of LIRR retirees gaming the system to retire on disability, and slapping seven separate taxes on people who barely get MTA service isn't a problem for you?

Once they clean all that up, maybe then the MTA will rise to the level of embarrassment.

I've lived in NJ all my life and I am willing to bet this is going to be a disaster.

soy_bomb: If we only had 2 tunnels and 1 bridge between New Jersey and New York, we wouldn't need to spend billions on another one. How about finishing the Freedom Tower™ first?

Yes, just what we need in this economic downturn: More unused office space.

The project is being funded by the feds (part of the stimulus money + already allocated funds), the Port Authority, NJ Transit, and New Jersey itself. Note the distinct lack of "New York" in the above - neither the state nor the city of New York wanted to add in any money to this project. (Even though it would both reduce incoming traffic AND increase tourism to NYC.)

My friend who lives in New Jersey has a car insurance bill of about $10 trillion annually. He's always said it's so high because of the presence of the mafia. I've never once even considered that he was wrong.


I imagine that this $8.7 billion will turn into at least double that, for the same reason.

Philip J. Fry: I'd be shocked if a 10 story building is built.

Wouldn't go that far. 7 World Trade Center was a 47-story building when I watched it fall in 2001, and was 52 stories tall when it re-opened in 2006 (though with a smaller footprint than the earlier structure).

Don't expect to see any new construction rising significantly above the current skyline, though, until Silverstein's lease runs out in another 90 years or so.