Phil Murphy

February 28, 2024

Murphy proposes new tax on wealthy corporations to fund NJ Transit

Gov. Phil Murphy has a plan to raise taxes on New Jersey's wealthiest corporations to help NJ Transit meet its roughly $900 million budget deficit. During his annual budget address on Tuesday, the governor unveiled the "Corporate Transit Fee," a new tax on Garden State corporations with net taxable incomes of more than $10 million per year. The proposal raises the corporate tax rate from 9 percent to 11.5 percent for qualifying businesses to create a dedicated funding source for the cash-strapped NJ Transit.
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November 3, 2023

Construction officially begins on Hudson River tunnel project

Work to replace a decaying rail tunnel under the Hudson River is moving ahead after receiving $3.8 billion in federal funding. Gov. Kathy Hochul, United States Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, Sen. Chuck Schumer and other officials on Friday announced the start of the first phase of the $16 billion Hudson Tunnel Project, part of the Gateway Program. This early phase of the project will create concrete casings for trains to travel under the Hudson River and through to Pennsylvania Station and will raise a section of road in New Jersey that will feed into the mouth of the new tunnel.
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September 20, 2023

High Line-style pedestrian bridge to link Newark Penn Station and Prudential Center

Work began this week on a High Line-esque pedestrian bridge in Newark a decade in the making. Gov. Phil Murphy and Mayor J. Baraka on Tuesday broke ground on the Mulberry Commons Pedestrian Bridge, a walkable pathway above McCarter Highway that will link Newark Penn Station and the Prudential Center. The bridge is the second phase of the Mulberry Commons development, a 22-acre project aimed at revitalizing the area between downtown Newark and the Ironbound neighborhood, with Mulberry Commons Park at the center. Officials say the bridge will support economic growth, make Newark more walkable, and enhance the pedestrian experience in and around Newark Penn Station.
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September 12, 2023

Work on Hudson River rail tunnel project could begin next month

Work is finally moving forward on a project that will replace a dilapidated, century-old rail tunnel connecting New York City and New Jersey. The Gateway Development Commission on Monday awarded the first contracts for construction on the New Jersey side of the $16.1 billion two-track Hudson Tunnel Project (HTP), with the first phase of the transformative plan expected to break ground as soon as October. The tunnel project is the main component of the $30 billion plan, the country's largest public works project currently underway.
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July 21, 2023

New Jersey sues to block NYC’s congestion pricing plan

New Jersey is suing to block New York's congestion pricing program. Gov. Phil Murphy announced on Friday a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration, claiming the plan to charge drivers entering certain parts of Manhattan is unfair to Garden State residents. In the complaint, the state said the agencies did not conduct a full environmental review.
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February 1, 2023

In New York, Biden touts $300M investment for Hudson River rail project

President Joe Biden made an appearance at Hudson Yards on Tuesday to announce a $292 million investment for a project that would fix a century-old rail tunnel and build a new one under the river between New York and New Jersey. The $16 billion Hudson River tunnel project is just one part of the broader $30 billion Gateway Project, which includes new bridges and the expansion of Penn Station. The funding announced by Biden will go toward a $649 million project that extends the concrete casing for the tunnels between Penn Station and the Hudson River before any work on the tunnels can actually begin.
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January 12, 2023

Newark Airport’s Jersey-themed Terminal A finally opens

The new Terminal A at Newark Liberty International Airport officially opened on Thursday, after several delays and $2.7 billion. Travelers will have no problem knowing where they are, with Garden State-themed artwork, concessions, and digital displays found throughout the one-million-square-foot terminal. The state-of-the-art Terminal A, which replaces a nearly 50-year-old terminal, is the most expensive infrastructure in New Jersey's history, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
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June 9, 2022

New York looks for architect to design new $7B Penn Station

The plan to modernize Penn Station has officially entered the design phase. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday announced the state is now requesting proposals from architecture and engineering firms to redevelop the dark and crowded Midtown transit hub into a light-filled train station "worthy of being the epicenter of the most vibrant city on the planet," according to the governor. Proposals are due July 28 and a winning bid could be selected by late summer or early fall.
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February 7, 2022

New Jersey will end mask mandate in schools in March

New Jersey's school mask mandate that's been in effect since September 2020 will end March 7, Gov. Phil Murphy announced on Monday. The state mandate required all students, staff, and visitors to wear face coverings while inside New Jersey school facilities. School districts can choose to keep the mandates in place, but the statewide requirement will be lifted. The mandate's removal comes as positive tests and hospitalizations have dropped significantly statewide and the rate of vaccinations continues to rise.
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