Gateway project rail bridge continues to decay; funding still elusive

Written by RT&S Staff
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A Congressional hearing on WMATA issues will be held tomorrow.
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U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer wants to see a project involving the Portal Bridge “cross the finish line.” Trying to secure funding, however, has been an endless marathon.

The Portal Bridge is about 100 years old and sits in the New York City metropolitan area, and during extreme heat and cold periods the swing span, which is used for maritime traffic, has to be hit with a sledgehammer so it can fully close. The rail bridge is part of the proposed Gateway project, which is still without federal funding. The span also has caught on fire twice.

Officials have reached out to Trump to try and secure funding for the bridge. The Gateway project was not included in 10 projects selected last week by the Federal Railroad Administration that will receive $272 million in grants from FY 2017 and 2018 appropriations bills. The bridge does not appear to be a priority for the U.S. DOT, and the Trump administration continues to insist that the states of New York and New Jersey fund the Gateway project.

The Portal Bridge is part of the Northeast Corridor, which is the nation’s busiest passenger rail route. Over 800,000 riders depend on the track daily.

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