Schumer, in Personal Call to Ray LaHood, Continues to Push for $2.2 Billion in Funds Forfeited by New Jersey to Finish East Side Access Project

Press Release

United States Senator Charles E. Schumer today, during a telephone call with Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, urged the Secretary to approve the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's (MTA) application for $2.2 billion in funding under the Federal Railroad Administration's (FRA) Railroad Rehabilitation & Improvement Financing (RRIF) program. The program is designed to provide long-term loans for major construction projects that are not required to be repaid until 35 years after construction is complete. It is the same program and funding level that was offered to New Jersey, and rejected, in order to complete the Access to the Region's Core (ARC) tunnel project under the Hudson. In his call to LaHood, Schumer stressed the vital nature of this project and urged the Secretary to support the MTA's application.

"The East Side Access project is the single most significant infrastructure project in the country, providing for thousands of construction jobs, and upon completion will serve as a vital catalyst for economic development both on Long Island and in New York City. This is a no brainer, and I will continue to fight for this project until commuters from Long Island can take the train to Grand Central," said Schumer. "I urged Secretary LaHood to fully support the MTA's application and provide the same level of funding, from the same program, that was offered to New Jersey."

The East Side Access Project, a joint federal-state effort, is a rail link from the LIRR, via the 63rd Street Tunnel, to Grand Central Terminal that will help tens of thousands of Nassau, Suffolk commuters save up to 30-40 minutes traveling to Manhattan's east side. The project will also free up much needed capacity at Penn Station, alleviating what have become almost routine train delays. However, the project is on trajectory to run out of funding at the end of 2011.

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