OMBUDSMAN ALERT: The “One-Seat” Rockland-to-NYC Rail Ride is Still Alive

Ombudsman

Ombudsman Alert in its quest to advance the progress of the “Gateway” project, which seeks to rebuild the aging and decaying Hudson River tunnels, must now point out the most important feature of this project for Rockland County: the implementation of a one-seat rail service from Rockland directly into Manhattan!

This project has now received the critical support of our Congresswoman Nita Lowey who forwarded her statement on this major issue for our county, which we mow quote in its entirety below:

“Completion of the Hudson Tunnel Project is critical to improving the lives of commuters and working families across the New York City metro area. The Gateway Project is of both regional and national economic importance, and the DOT must start treating it as such,”said Lowey.

She was joined by co-sponsors Congressman Albio Sires and Congressman Tom Malinowski, who are leading over 20 northeastern colleagues in calling on Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Secretary Elaine Chao to finalize and publish the Hudson Tunnel Project Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), which will allow the critical Gateway Project to finally move forward.

Lowey’s office noted that 11 months have passed since the DOT’s original deadline for the review, and all deadline and status dates have been removed from government dashboards. The average length of time for a final EIS report to be published is five months. The Gateway Project is vital, and there is no justification for placing artificial and unnecessary roadblocks in its path, including delaying the EIS.

Ombudsman Alert is most optimistic that his three-year quest to bring this vital issue to the attention and action of our lawmakers will now be reaching a successful conclusion and Rockland may finally look forward to this coveted one-seat rail ride into Manhattan.

Please address all comments and questuins to editor@rocklandcountytimes.com