The Gateway Development Commission (GDC) today announced a major milestone in the Hudson Tunnel Project: the manufacturing of the tunnel boring machines (TBMs) that will construct the first mile of the new rail tunnel under the Hudson River is nearing completion. One TBM is now 85% complete, and a second is 73% complete, with both expected to be finalized and shipped to New Jersey by November 2025. Once reassembled on site, boring operations will commence in 2026.

The TBMs will be used to build the first mile of the new rail tunnel under the Hudson River, from the New Jersey tunnel entrance at Tonnelle Avenue in North Bergen to the access shaft in Hudson County. They will bore the two parallel tunnel tubes, installing the concrete tunnel liner behind them as they go. Each machine will build approximately 30 feet of new tunnel per day.

The cutterhead of each TBM measures 28 feet, 8 inches in diameter, and the gantries stretch back roughly 500 feet. Each machine weighs 1,680 tons.

GZ as part of the Delivery Partner (mPa) is providing project management and construction management services to the GDC and its partners Amtrak, the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey (PANYNJ), and New Jersey Transit (NJT). Also, GZ is supporting the digital transformation of the project and is advising and supporting the project’s BIM adoption.

We’re proud to be part of this transformative project. We look forward to continuing our partnership with the Delivery Partner (mPa), the GDC, and all stakeholders toward delivering one of the most important infrastructure projects in the nation.

To read more about GZ’s project involvement please see this link.

To view full news entry please visit this link: https://mailchi.mp/gatewayprogram/gdc-august-2025-board-meeting?e=2ed8b84352

 

Renderings of the TBMs that will be used to build the first mile of the new rail tunnel under the Hudson River. For illustrative purposes only. Final design subject to change. (Courtesy of Gateway Development Commission)

The shield for one of the Palisades Tunnel Project’s tunnel boring machines in manufacturing. (Courtesy of Gateway Development Commission)