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The Gateway Program Development Corporation (GDC) has issued a Request for Information (RFI), seeking innovative ideas from private sector leaders to help inform planning for the procurement and delivery, including potential design, construction and financing solutions, of the Hudson Tunnel Project and the final section of the Hudson Yards Concrete Casing.

GDC invites qualified respondents to submit proposals by September 15, 2017. Further information is available here.

The Hudson Tunnel Project and final section of the Hudson Yards Concrete Casing comprise Phase 1B of the Gateway Program, the most urgent infrastructure program in the country. The Hudson Tunnel Project includes the construction of a new two-track Hudson River rail tunnel from New Jersey to Manhattan that will directly serve Penn Station New York (PSNY), and the rehabilitation of the 106-year old, existing North River Tunnel, which was heavily damaged during Superstorm Sandy in 2012. The final section of the Hudson Yards Concrete Casing completes a project to preserve the right of way for a future tunnel to PSNY.

The Gateway Program is a comprehensive rail investment program that would improve current services, add resiliency and create new capacity for a critical section of the Northeast Corridor (NEC) – the most heavily used passenger rail line in the country.

The total project project investment is estimated at as much as US$20 billion. Nationally significant projects require multiple funding and financing sources. GDC seeks to maximize both federal and non-federal resources to deliver Phase 1 through local self-help, pairing federal grants with innovative federal financing programs, including TIFIA and RRIF loans, and leveraging private sector innovation and capital.

GDC, a New Jersey not-for-profit entity, was established to oversee and deliver the Gateway Program, with support from federal and local partner agencies, including Amtrak, NJ TRANSIT and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

GDC Chairman Richard H. Bagger, said:

“This RFI is a part of the Gateway Development Corporation’s commitment to engage private sector leaders with expertise in major infrastructure projects to seek innovations in delivering them better, faster, and cheaper. By drawing on the skill and experience of industry professionals, we plan to incorporate the best practices to ensure the best possible result.”

GDC Interim Executive Director John D. Porcari, stated:

“The RFI issued is an example of the Gateway Development Corporation exploring all funding and project delivery scenarios to build the Hudson Tunnel Project as quickly and cost-effectively as possible. This is the most urgent infrastructure project in America – we have not a minute to lose.”