Historic Dig Begins Beneath the Hudson River

A new phase is being entered in the Hudson Tunnel Project, which will strengthen the rail connection between New York and New Jersey. The first tunnel boring machine has been prepared to begin excavation of the new rail line that will pass beneath the Hudson River. New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced on September 28 that a major milestone of the project had been reached.

A Century After Under the Hudson

The project will be the first new rail tunnel built under the Hudson River in more than a century. According to CBS New York, the last major project of this scale was the Holland Tunnel, which entered service in 1927. The new line will extend from New Jersey to Penn Station in Manhattan.

Two Tunnels, Thousands of Meters of Track

According to data from the Gateway Development Commission, the new system will consist of two separate tunnel tubes beneath the Hudson River. In the under‑river section, two tunnels each approximately 7,250 feet, or about 2.21 kilometers long, are planned to be bored. Nine interconnecting portals will also be built between the tunnels.

200,000 passengers a day

When the Hudson Tunnel Project is completed, the goal is to make rail transport between New York and New Jersey more reliable. The Gateway Development Commission says that roughly 200,000 passengers will benefit from the new tunnel each day. The project will also increase the capacity of the heavily used Northeast Corridor line between Newark and New York Penn Station.

1,700‑ton machines

The tunnel boring machines to be used in the project weigh about 1,700 tons and, when fully assembled, will be roughly 500 feet (152 meters) long. Each machine will have a crew of about 30 to 40 workers during excavation. In the Palisades section on the New Jersey side, the machines are expected to advance through a hard‑rock layer.

30‑foot Daily Progress

According to information relayed by CBS New York, each tunnel boring machine can excavate about 30 feet (9 meters) per day under suitable conditions. The first machine was manufactured and tested in Germany, then reassembled at the work site in the New York region. After the final tests are completed, it is expected to begin excavation work.

Planned to Enter Service in 2035

The new Hudson River rail tunnel is planned to enter service in 2035. Work on the entire project, including the rehabilitation of the existing North River Tunnels, will continue until 2038. The current tunnel has been in service since 1910 and is used by Amtrak and NJ Transit trains.

Post‑Sandy Renewal

The new tunnel project also includes the refurbishment of the existing North River Tunnels, which suffered severe damage during Hurricane Sandy in 2012. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, the current tunnel is about 2.5 miles long and consists of two separate tubes. The project's goal is to strengthen the continuity of the Northeast Corridor rail link between New York and New Jersey.

95,000 Job Target

The Gateway Development Commission says that the construction of the Hudson Tunnel Project is expected to create a total of 95,000 jobs and generate about $19.6 billion in economic activity. The project's total cost is estimated at roughly $16 billion.

Financing Crisis Phase

The project has recently also encountered problems with federal funding. The Gateway Development Commission announced that federal fund payments were halted in October 2025, and as a result construction work was paused at the beginning of 2026. The commission announced that work resumed after approximately $235 million in federal resources was received in February 2026.

Construction Accelerated Again

According to the latest information from the Gateway Development Commission, work within the project scope is continuing in New York and New Jersey. While the Tonnelle Avenue Bridge and infrastructure alignment work will be completed in 2026, the area where tunnel boring machines will be installed on the New Jersey side has also been prepared.

A New Era Begins

When the Hudson Tunnel Project is completed, new connections will be created in addition to the existing two lines between New Jersey and New York. The Gateway Program aims to create more capacity and an alternative rail corridor in the region by putting the new tunnel into service and rehabilitating the existing North River Tunnel.