New York moved to stop a looming shutdown of one of the nation’s most critical transit projects after a federal judge blocked a freeze that threatened work on the Hudson River Tunnel.
The court order prevents the Trump administration from halting construction on the Gateway Program’s Hudson Tunnel project, which links New York and New Jersey and carries hundreds of thousands of commuters each day.
The project faced an imminent work stoppage after months of withheld federal funding. Without court intervention, construction could have shut down as early as Feb. 6, putting thousands of jobs at risk and leaving a vital rail corridor in deteriorating condition.
The Hudson Tunnel is a central piece of the region’s rail network and a cornerstone of long-term efforts to modernize aging infrastructure beneath the Hudson River. Officials warned that stopping work midstream would increase costs, delay timelines, and threaten safety for riders who depend on the corridor.
New York and New Jersey filed suit earlier this week, arguing that the funding freeze was unlawful and would cause immediate and lasting harm to workers, commuters, and the regional economy.
A judge in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York granted a temporary restraining order, barring the administration from continuing to withhold funding for now and allowing construction to proceed.
The ruling provides short-term relief for the project while the broader legal fight continues. State officials said they will keep pressing to ensure the tunnel’s construction moves forward without further federal disruption.
Supporters of the project say the decision protects a once-in-a-generation infrastructure investment that the entire Northeast relies on.
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