Hudson Valley Drivers: A New Tunnel Under the Hudson Is Finally Being Dug and even though it won't carry cars, this massive project could make a difference for people traveling throughout the Hudson Valley.

If you drive around the Hudson Valley, you know that getting anywhere near New York City can turn into a traffic headache pretty quickly.

Now, a massive new tunnel is officially being dug under the Hudson River, and while Hudson Valley drivers won't be using it themselves, the project is designed to strengthen one of the most important transportation links in the region.

Governor Kathy Hochul announced Monday that tunnel boring is beginning on the Gateway Hudson Tunnel Project, a massive rail project connecting New Jersey with New York City.

And there's some serious history behind this one.

The first new rail tunnel under the Hudson in more than a century

The new tunnel will be the first new rail tunnel under the Hudson River since 1910, when the existing North River Tunnel went into service. That tunnel has been in continuous use for more than 115 years.

The Holland Tunnel, which opened in 1927, was the first vehicular tunnel under the Hudson, but Gateway is a rail tunnel, designed for Amtrak and NJ Transit trains.

The new project will eventually create two new tunnel tubes under the river. When the entire project is finished, there will be four modern rail tracks connecting New York and New Jersey, compared with just two today.

So why should Hudson Valley drivers care?

You might be thinking: That's great, but I drive a car.

Fair question.

The Gateway project isn't going to give Hudson Valley drivers another way to cross the Hudson. But it is designed to add capacity and reliability to the Northeast Corridor, which carries hundreds of thousands of passengers every day.

That matters to the Hudson Valley because the region is deeply connected to the New York City transportation network. A more reliable rail system can affect commuters, business travelers, tourism and the overall flow of people throughout the region.

And this isn't happening overnight

The Gateway project has been years in the making.

Construction began in 2023, and crews have already completed major early work, including a new bridge supporting Tonnelle Avenue in North Bergen that created room for the tunnel boring machines and their massive equipment.

The new train tunnel is currently expected to open for service in 2035. After that, the existing North River Tunnel will undergo rehabilitation, with that work expected to be completed in 2038.