http://blogs.wsj.com/metropolis/2010/11/22/christie-expresses-support-for-subway-extension/
Christie Shows Support for Subway Plan
Lisa Fleisher
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said he would consider putting state money toward a no. 7 subway extension, a proposal he described as a “much better idea” than the $8.7 billion train tunnel project he canceled last month.
Christie said he hasn’t yet discussed the proposal with Mayor Michael Bloomberg and did not offer details about how much money he would consider spending. The Bloomberg administrationsaid last week that it is exploring a plan to build a new tunnel under the Hudson River that would extend the no. 7 subway line to Secaucus, N.J.
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Christie, speaking on 101.5 FM’s monthly Ask the Governor program, again defended his decision to kill an $8.7 billion project to build a rail tunnel to Midtown Manhattan, saying it showed New Jersey would not be “played for a patsy” when it comes to paying for a cross-Hudson transit.
The Bloomberg administration has said a no. 7 extension could cost about $5.3 billion andwould help more people get across the river than the train tunnel project, which was known as Access to the Region’s Core. Federal estimates had put the cost of the 9-mile ARC project between $9.8 billion and $12.7 billion.
On Monday night Christie said he believed the fact that the Bloomberg administration was looking at alternatives proved he did the right thing by canceling the long-planned ARC project — even if it meant turning down $3 billion in federal funding.
“Within weeks, we have New York City coming forward with an idea,” he said. “You know why? Because it’s good for New York City. And once they knew that New Jersey wasn’t going to be the stooge that paid 70% of the cost of this project with no contribution from them, and they weren’t going to get that access of New Jerseyans going to New York, now they decide to step up and come forward with another idea.”
The Republican governor repeatedly criticized New Jersey Sen. Frank Lautenberg, a Democrat and strong backer of the ARC tunnel, and challenged him to support federal funding for the no 7 extension. “I’m listening for Sen. Frank Lautenberg,” Christie said. “I can’t hear him.”
Reached via e-mail, a Lautenberg spokesman said: “The senator strongly supports expanding rail across the Hudson River and is closely examining the 7 line proposal.”
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