NYC Rail Tunnel Project Takes Step to Boost Federal Funding Case

(Bloomberg) -- The governors of New York and New Jersey have chosen members of the Gateway Development Commission in a step to get federal funding for an $11.3 billion Manhattan rail tunnel project.

President Donald Trump has argued that the project, along the busiest U.S. passenger route, should be financed by the states, not U.S. taxpayers. One barrier to federal help, his administration has said, is the lack of a formal body to apply for grants and loans.

New York’s appointees are Marie Therese Dominguez, the state transportation commissioner; Jamey Barbas, the state Thruway project director; and Steven M. Cohen, the former secretary to Governor Andrew Cuomo.

New Jersey’s nominees, who must be confirmed by the state’s senate, are Janine G. Bauer, an attorney who was an adviser to the Lower Manhattan Development Corp.; Balpreet Grewal-Virk, a community-health expert; and Jerry Zaro, the chairman of the Gateway Program Development Corp., an early project overseer.

Amtrak will appoint the seventh commission member.

To contact the reporter on this story: Elise Young in Trenton at eyoung30@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Flynn McRoberts at fmcroberts1@bloomberg.net, William Selway, Michael B. Marois

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