Christie last month canceled work on $8.7B ARC tunnel project linking North Bergen to N.Y. Watch video
Gov. Chris Christie holds a press conference in his outer office at the Statehouse in Trenton.TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie today said his staff reached out to New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg after news of his proposal to extend the No. 7 subway under the Hudson River into New Jersey.
Bloomberg's office told him the proposal was just in a conceptual stage, Christie said, and they would get back to them later. In a Monday night radio appearance, Christie said he had not spoken to Bloomberg about the proposed subway extension.
Christie said after federal funding has been established, he would consider how much New Jersey could contribute.
The explanation by Christie at a press conference today came after Democratic Sen. Frank Lautenberg criticized him in a letter this morning for not reaching out to Bloomberg. Lautenberg and Christie have exchanged biting comments about the future of a trans-Hudson rail tunnel after the governor nixed the proposal last month.
"It's just another day for Frank Lautenberg," Christie said. "The sun rose. He was wrong, The sun will set."
Previous coverage:
• New Yorkers rankled at thought of extending subway into N.J.
• Extending No. 7 subway to Secaucus could provide alternative to killed ARC tunnel
• Amtrak, NJ Transit break off talks on reviving ARC Hudson River rail tunnel