NJ Commute Relief May Hinge on US Election With Funds in Limbo
(Bloomberg) -- Months after a summer of train breakdowns derailed commutes in and out of New York, more transit funding to fix the challenges could hinge on Tuesday’s election.
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Amtrak and New Jersey Transit investigated the series of rail meltdowns in May and June that stranded passengers and caused commutes to stretch hours. The root causes haven’t been found yet — meaning riders face the risk of further disruptions, though results from an independent inspection are expected this month.
While officials maintain repairs are being made to keep the service running smoothly, the cash-strapped agencies say they need more funding. Political stalemates over transportation money in Congress have previously caused essential infrastructure to become dilapidated and in need of repairs.
“The bottom line is we have to work hard to get the level of funding on an annual basis if these repairs are going to continue,” said US Representative Frank Pallone, a Democrat representing part of central New Jersey. “We face an uphill battle when we’re dealing with a Republican majority in the House.”
Transit fixes along the Northeast Corridor — the busiest stretch of rail in the US — are expensive. Amtrak and NJ Transit share much of the track infrastructure in the New Jersey section of that route which comes to a chokepoint near the Hudson River. That segment — which includes parts more than a century old — has seen a rise in commuter train cancellations, frustrating riders and threatening a return-to-office push crucial for the New York City economy.
President Joe Biden, a longtime Amtrak rider, funneled billions into projects to build up dilapidated infrastructure along the Northeast Corridor, saying if the rail were to shut down for one day, it would cost the US economy $100 million.
More transit funding doesn’t have universal support. This summer, House Republicans proposed $139 million of operational funding cuts for the corridor as well as reducing overall transit capital investment grants by two-thirds. The bill is still tied up in broader negotiations for appropriations spending and a decision won’t be made until at least the end of the year.
Candidate Positions
During his tenure, former president Donald Trump proposed slashing Amtrak’s federal subsidy in half and stalled the Gateway rail tunnel project designed to relieve rail construction at the New York City-New Jersey juncture. That $16 billion project locked in $6.9 billion of funds from the Federal Transit Administration earlier this year.
Project 2025, a blueprint of conservative proposals, includes policies that would upend funding for the Federal Transit Administration’s core programs, including one that commits funding to projects that support Amtrak and NJ Transit commuter service. Trump has made efforts to distance himself from the opus, yet the authors include some of his advisers.
Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee for president, has yet to articulate her plan for public transit funding. Transportation policy isn’t currently mentioned in her campaign platform, signaling that the sector may take more of a back seat if she wins.
“With a Harris administration, we know there will at least be more of an understanding around climate,” said Renae Reynolds, executive director of the Tri-State Transportation Campaign. That is essential as the summers get hotter and beat down on the nation’s ancient rail infrastructure, she added.
This summer, heat stress and aging infrastructure triggered power disruptions that delayed NJ Transit and Amtrak rail service. Those two agencies are intertwined because NJ Transit leases much of their tracks from Amtrak, who serves as the primary owner and operator of the shared infrastructure.
“The ball is really in Amtrak’s court,” said Michael Smart, associate professor of urban planning at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University.
The share of NJ Transit ride cancellations caused by Amtrak have crept up every year since the pandemic, even after Democrats vowed to pour billions of federal aid into modernizing the agency’s infrastructure in 2023. Overall cancellations have remained fairly steady in the same time frame.
“We all agree, the May and June service impacts should not have happened,” Jason Abrams, an Amtrak spokesperson, said in an emailed statement. He noted it’s “unfair to attribute all of the cancellations to Amtrak” since the investigation into the eight incidents is still ongoing.
Amtrak is awaiting approval on federal grants to replace the overhead wire system that powers the trains. State legislators are optimistic that the funds will pull through, but won’t know until later in November. Until then, incremental repairs are being made to fend off further turmoil. But without swift intervention, the commuter chaos risks a rerun.
“It’s going to be an uphill battle for sure,” said Reynolds.
--With assistance from Nic Querolo.
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