STV joined the Gateway Development Commission, project partners, elected officials and transportation leaders this week to celebrate the launch of the first tunnel boring machine (TBM) for the Hudson Tunnel Project, a transformative component of the Gateway Program, a suite of infrastructure investments that will expand rail capacity and improve reliability along the Northeast Corridor – the most heavily used passenger rail line in the United States. The milestone marks the beginning of excavation for the new rail tunnel connecting New Jersey and New York.

Designed to excavate the first mile of the tunnel alignment while simultaneously installing precast concrete tunnel lining rings, the TBM represents a major step forward in construction of the new tunnel. The machine will excavate an approximately 25-foot-diameter tunnel tube while installing six-foot-wide precast concrete segments behind the excavation face.

“The launch of tunnel excavation is a major step toward delivering the additional capacity and reliability the Northeast Corridor needs,” said John Dalton, senior project director at STV. “This investment will strengthen a transportation network that supports communities and economic activity across the region for generations to come.”

STV, as part of a joint venture, serves as the lead engineering firm and engineer-of-record for final design of the Hudson Tunnel Project, working closely with the Gateway Development Commission.

The Hudson Tunnel Project supports a rail network that underpins approximately 20% of the U.S. economy. Beyond improving rail reliability and safety, construction is already generating significant economic benefits, including more than 95,000 direct, indirect and induced jobs, as well as $19.6 billion in economic activity, reflecting the scale and long-term significance of one of the nation’s most critical infrastructure investments.