NYC NOW Gateway Tunnel Funding Restored After Shutdown, but Legal Fight Continues
Feb 25, 2026
Clayton Guse, WNYC editor with deep knowledge of regional transit history, and Stephen Nessen, WNYC transportation reporter on the ground, break down the Gateway Tunnel saga. They cover why the century-old Hudson tunnels matter, the political battles from ARC to Biden-era funding, the work stoppage that idled 1,000+ workers, the federal court action restoring funds, and the project’s uncertain road ahead.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Worker Mike Hellstrom Forced Off Site
- Construction worker Mike Hellstrom described being forced off the job after funding froze and called the shutdown "complete BS."
- He said he planned to work nine years on the job, is a third-generation laborer, and views the tunnel as his "freedom tower."
Gateway Framed As Resiliency Not Just Capacity
- Gateway is a resiliency-first project to build new Hudson River tunnels so the century-old ones can be closed and repaired.
- After Hurricane Sandy damage, planners reframed the work as emergency repair needing a new tunnel first, which also doubles capacity to 48 trains per hour.
Funding Freeze Was Political, Not Merely Procedural
- The Trump administration paused Gateway funding under the pretext of reviewing disadvantaged business compliance, but publicly framed it as terminating the project tied to Senator Schumer.
- That political targeting halted federal cash flow and threatened to strand costly custom equipment and open construction sites.