Cross harbor tunnel proposal raises concerns in Bay Ridge
In an effort to reduce truck traffic on the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and other crossings, the Port Authority and the Federal Highway Administration are looking at alternative ways to get deliveries of goods and services into the city and into the northeast region of the country, including building a cross harbor rail freight tunnel between New Jersey and Bay Ridge.
The 3.5 mile-tunnel would connect New Jersey to the 65th Street rail yard in Bay Ridge, allowing trucks to bypass the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, the George Washington Bridge and other crossings. A tunnel would cost between $7.4 billion and $10.2 billion to construct, depending on the design, and would open in 2035.
The two agencies are also considering other alternatives, including expanding an existing system that employs the use of barges to transport rail cars across New York Harbor.