A Gateway to better commutes

Newark: The Daily News editorial (“We dig it, Mr. President,” June 12) rightly emphasizes the critical importance of the Gateway Program but inaccurately represents issues of cost and timing and fails to focus on the single most important and timely issue — the Trump administration honoring the previous commitment of federal funding for this construction-ready project.

Our first focus is on the critical resiliency aspects of Gateway — the Hudson Tunnel Project and Portal North Bridge, both of which must be built as quickly as possible to eliminate single points of failure that jeopardize 10% of America’s gross domestic product. When the Titanic was under construction 108 years ago, the existing bridge and tunnel were already carrying passengers. We know that constructing a new bridge and tunnel is job one.

Many have advocated expedited federal reviews for Gateway, and that’s exactly what we’re on track to do. The Hudson Tunnel Project is already on a very aggressive 24-month schedule — less than half the typical time for projects of this magnitude and a national model for concurrent federal reviews. The Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be released this month, and simultaneous Final EIS and Record of Decision by March 2018, if not sooner. We also expect the Army Corps of Engineers to concurrently issue its Section 404 permit on the same schedule.

The other resiliency aspect of Gateway, a two-track replacement for the Portal Bridge, is already 100% designed and 100% permitted. Early construction work, such as building the access road, will take place this summer. The Daily News suggested constructing a four-track replacement, but this would actually increase the cost by pushing out the schedule of a project ready for construction today and require costly new property acquisition. Importantly, our approach allows phasing of work to provide immediate relief without impacting existing service, and makes the system more resilient in the near-term.

A local funding plan for this Portal Bridge construction is in place with commitments from NJTransit, the Port Authority and Amtrak. Federal funding through the Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Improvement Grant program and other sources is the only missing piece, and construction of this nationally significant project cannot start without a federal financial commitment.

Rather than “rip up the blueprints,” a counterproductive suggestion that would significantly delay these important projects, we would urge the Trump administration to partner with the states of New York and New Jersey and Amtrak to fund the most urgent infrastructure project in America. Projects of the magnitude of Gateway simply cannot proceed without a federal commitment to match that of the states. John D. Porcari, interim executive director

Gateway Program Development Corp.

Cost overruns

Scarborough, N.Y.: Former Assemblyman Richard Brodsky argues that the governor and the mayor can’t be trusted to fix the subways because they “prefer bright, shiny new things” (“To fix the subways, get out of the way,” Op-Ed, June 14). We should trust the MTA, Brodsky states. Yet the biggest transit boondoggle ever is the MTA’s LIRR East Side Access fiasco. Projected to cost $4.3 billion with a finish date of 2009, the MTA now tells us it will cost $11 billion and be completed in 2023. Imagine if those billions were applied to subways and buses. Thomas F. Comiskey Jersey City: I work in New York City and take several trains daily to Brooklyn. Too much BS here. Let Donald Trump fix things. He will be on time and under budget; while you’re at it, have him build a new tunnel from the city to New Jersey. Trump rocks!

George Thomas

Keeping repair on track

Rosedale: I understand that the MTA must do repairs at Penn Station. Why don’t they just work in the middle of the night (the off-hours like 4 a.m.) when most people are not using mass transit, and therefore not disrupt most people’s commute?

Carol Matson

Here come the gun-grabbers

Nantucket, Mass.: Here we go again. Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe quickly stepped up to the microphone with the never-ending, Democrat dog-whistle, drumroll, politicized rhetoric immediately after the shooting of Rep. Steve Scalise and others at the early-morning charity congressional baseball practice. How inappropriate and distasteful it is for him to push his agenda during this tragedy. McAuliffe said, “There are too many guns on the street; we need to do something about it.” I thought gun ownership has already been curtailed in Virginia? It is not a reciprocal state for those highly trained gun owners who possess a “weapons carry license.” How about enforcing the strict Virginia gun control laws already on the books? Doesn’t fit the Democrat PC narrative? Michael Velsmid

Reaping what we sow

Scarsdale, N.Y.: Sad day in Virginia. We know that hateful rhetoric is a dress rehearsal for violence. When will Trump get that message? He has advocated violence throughout his campaign. He even offered to pay the bail for one loose cannon. Plus, lest we forget, the GOP thought it was OK to allow the mentally challenged to purchase assault rifles. Surely by sowing wild seeds of evil one can only expect to reap the whirlwind. #Stopthehate. “Let America be America again.”

Phyllis C. Murray

Missing Caesar

Hoboken: Okay Voicers Janet Cantor, Jeanne Aldrich, K. Herron Poletti, Tedd Smith and Dennis J. Lynch, I scanned the Daily News Voice of the People pages for 2012, but I couldn’t find your letters that were critical of a Minnesota theatre’s Shakespeare production when President Barack Obama was similarly spoofed, which was sponsored in part then by Delta Air Lines. Did I overlook something? Bob Sterner

No black Caesar anger

Bradley Beach, N.J.: Where was the outrage when President Obama was the subject of the plot in 2012 in Julius Caesar?! What a bunch of phonies! It goes to show that all the racists just want to erase whatever Obama accomplished! Look what fate has brought you! Patrick Freeman

Let it go

Manhattan: I have one simple question for Voicer Robert Hollenstein: Why would you permit an obnoxious, narcissistic, classless, miserable boor like Reggie Jackson to ruin a wonderful day at the Stadium with your family? You clearly have everything that this pitiful specimen of protoplasm lacks, beginning with humanity and decency. If he wants to sit in the stands and wallow in his own lonely misery, fine; let him. You had your kids and your nephews, a brilliant day to “play two” and a day to honor Derek Jeter. Jackson has never been anything but a punk. Now he is just an old punk.

Carol Hopkins

Nothing’s changed

Staten Island: Reggie Jackson was a creep 40-plus years ago when he acted the same way with my little boy at a Yankees baseball game. Our son looked up at my husband and asked, “Why did he do that, Daddy?” I say he was a creep then, a creep now and always will be a creep. Some people never change. Joan Sere JUSTIN LANE/EPA

Same old, same old

Bridgeport, Conn.: Regarding Voicer Robert Hollenstein’s comments about Reggie Jackson: Once a jerk, always a jerk.

Robert Birge

9/11 giant remembered

Rye Brook, N.Y.: I was saddened to learn of Bill Doyle’s passing. His commitment and helpfulness to the families will long be remembered. He was a wealth of information and worked tirelessly for all 9/11 families. He brought to us valuable and important information that we would never have known about if not for him. For that I will always be grateful. I shared with my children the greatness of Bill. May he rest in eternal peace. God bless Bill.

Anne Hohlweck

To the Batgrave, old chum

Brooklyn: When it comes to being a child, your parents influence you and other people do, too. As a child, Adam West as Batman was one of those people. His way of showing good versus evil became a moral compass for many kids. Thanks to dear friend Yvonne Craig, aka Batgirl, I met Adam as an adult and found more than Batman — a very strong human being, kind and very, very funny. We’ve lost an icon, but we lost one hell of a man — always the Bright Knight. Adam, don’t Batwalk up the side wall to heaven this time, go through the front gates. Say hi to Yvonne.

Paul Lepelletier