A day after Gov. Cuomo announced plans to rebuild LaGuardia Airport, he and Gov. Christie agreed to meet with Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx to plan for new rail tunnels under the Hudson River.
That’s good news for the region — because new rail tunnels are every bit as urgent as a LaGuardia makeover.
Let’s face it: The clock is ticking on a transit disaster that would impact the entire Northeast, from Boston to DC — and cripple the region’s economy.
Unless serious work begins soon on those desperately needed crossings, one of the existing tunnels may have to close for repairs without a backup tunnel in place — leading to cuts in train service of as much as 80 percent.
Call it tunnel-mageddon for New York.
Of course, NJ Transit passengers are already familiar with the pain: On Tuesday, they endured yet another morning rush hour with delays, thanks to overhead wire problems and a disabled Amtrak train clogging the one tunnel to the city. And that followed a whole week of transit troubles.
Cuomo, Christie and Foxx won’t have an easy time working out details for this project. New tunnels may cost $15 billion or more, and no one knows where the funds will come from or who’ll pay what.
Which is why Foxx — who’s called the lack of action on new tunnels “almost criminal” — asked for the sitdown.
As he told the governors: “Neither Amtrak nor your individual states, acting alone, can replace these tunnels. It will take all of us working together.”
He’s right. Finding money for this project is essential. And no one — transit and construction unions, included — should be exempt from stepping up.
The alternative: a nightmare New Yorkers needn’t face.
Better get crackin’, guys.