The Gateway Development Commission (GDC) has reached a major milestone in the Hudson Tunnel Project (HTP) with the completion of manufacturing and factory acceptance testing of the first two tunnel boring machines (TBMs) that will excavate the new rail tunnel under the Hudson River.

These custom-built machines—each roughly 9 m (30 ft) in diameter and equipped to excavate deep underground while installing concrete tunnel liners as they advance—will soon begin their journey to the construction site at North Bergen, New Jersey.

TBM Shipment & Assembly Timeline

January 2026: Components of the first TBM are scheduled to arrive via Port Elizabeth and Baltimore before being trucked to the launch site at the base of the Palisades. Once on site, crews will assemble and test the machine over approximately three months, keeping it on track to begin tunnel boring in spring 2026.

Early 2026: The second TBM will ship to New Jersey, with components arriving in March, and tunnelling expected to start in summer 2026.

These TBMs will bore roughly one mile of new twin rail tubes on the New Jersey side of the Hudson River, enabling the expansion of the Northeast Corridor capacity between New Jersey and New York.

Project Significance & Statements

In a joint statement, Alicia Glen (NY GDC Commissioner and Co-Chair), Balpreet Grewal-Virk (NJ GDC Commissioner and Co-Chair), and Tony Coscia (GDC Amtrak Commissioner and Vice Chair) emphasized that moving these TBMs into place marks the transition from preparatory work to major tunnelling activity—a key step toward delivering what is widely considered the most urgent passenger rail infrastructure project in the United States.

GDC CEO Thomas Prendergast highlighted the complexity of these machines and the achievement of completing their manufacturing and testing on schedule. He also praised the extensive groundwork in New Jersey that sets the stage for their upcoming arrival and operation.

About the Hudson Tunnel Project

The Hudson Tunnel Project is part of the larger Gateway Program, an ambitious effort to expand and modernize rail infrastructure between Newark, New Jersey, and New York City. The HTP will construct a new two-tube rail tunnel under the Hudson River and rehabilitate the existing 116-year-old North River Tunnel, addressing chronic capacity constraints and improving reliability for Amtrak and NJ TRANSIT passengers. Once complete, the project will support four modern tracks where only two exist today, significantly enhancing travel reliability and reducing congestion across one of the nation’s busiest rail corridors.

Construction activities are already well underway across multiple work fronts, including:

• Completion of a new bridge and passage under Tonnelle Avenue to facilitate TBM access.
• Excavation of the portal launch box where the TBMs will launch.
• Ongoing works on the Hudson Yards Concrete Casing Section 3 tunnel box.
• Deep soil mixing and riverbed stabilization within the Hudson River, including shifting temporary cofferdams toward Manhattan to enable next phases of in-water construction.
• Slurry wall and access shaft preparation in both New Jersey and Manhattan.

When finished, the Hudson Tunnel Project will not only provide more reliable commuter and intercity rail service but also stimulate tens of thousands of jobs and long-term economic growth across the region. For further information on the project please click here 51/25.