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Inquirer Editorial: Christie's roadblock

By rebuffing a plan to insulate state taxpayers from cost overruns for a critically needed commuter rail tunnel to Manhattan, Gov. Christie encourages speculation that his real motive in scrubbing the project is to divert transportation dollars to pave over more of New Jersey.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie gestures Wednesday in Trenton as he announces that he's standing by his decision to kill the
nation's biggest public works project, a train tunnel connecting New Jersey to New York City. Christie has argued that his cash-strapped state can't afford to pay for any overruns on the $9 billion-plus rail tunnel under the Hudson River. The state is on the hook for $2.7 billion plus overruns. (AP Photo / Mel Evans)
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie gestures Wednesday in Trenton as he announces that he's standing by his decision to kill the nation's biggest public works project, a train tunnel connecting New Jersey to New York City. Christie has argued that his cash-strapped state can't afford to pay for any overruns on the $9 billion-plus rail tunnel under the Hudson River. The state is on the hook for $2.7 billion plus overruns. (AP Photo / Mel Evans)Read more

By rebuffing a plan to insulate state taxpayers from cost overruns for a critically needed commuter rail tunnel to Manhattan, Gov. Christie encourages speculation that his real motive in scrubbing the project is to divert transportation dollars to pave over more of New Jersey.

It became official Wednesday: Christie plans to stick with his earlier decision to cancel the tunnel. That will free up about $1.25 billion for other projects.

In first making the troubling policy move three weeks ago, Christie cited as his chief concern the expected overages in the $8.7 billion cost. Trenton would be on the hook for extra charges, in addition to covering about one-third of the base cost.

Christie wisely agreed to review his decision, at the urging of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and local officials who grasp the importance of this investment in the region's transit infrastructure. But Christie apparently learned nothing to change his mind. He said the federal government had offered no additional funding, leaving him to conclude that the project would stick New Jerseyans with "an open-ended letter of credit."

That's somewhat at odds, though, with a contention by Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D., N.J.) that Christie got just what he wanted: an assurance from federal officials that a deal could be struck that would shield the state from overruns. That was one of four financial options presented for saving the project.

Indeed, Assembly Speaker Sheila Y. Oliver (D., Essex) contended that the governor "has stubbornly shot down each and every financing option the federal government offered, instead of displaying leadership and creative ingenuity by considering how all of these options might work together."

The governor's decision also was lambasted by environmentalists keenly aware of the tunnel's hoped-for impact on reducing congestion and sprawl. Christie's fateful decision was described by one Democratic state lawmaker as "a monumentally boneheaded move."

What New Jersey doesn't need now is more highways - clogged with even greater numbers of vehicles - that contribute to suburban sprawl, pollution, and the burning of more barrels of foreign oil.

The tunnel to Manhattan is about boosting the economic prosperity of the entire state. It promises 45,000 permanent jobs once completed, thousands of construction jobs, and a better quality of life in communities served by rail.

Paving more of the Garden State doesn't come close.