New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) will push for a critical rail tunnel project in the Northeast during a meeting with President Trump’s transportation chief on Wednesday.



Cuomo, who declared a state of emergency for New York City subways last month in the wake of chronic derailments and malfunctions, said he plans to "discuss what may be the most important transportation project in the region — the Gateway Tunnel” when he meets with Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao.



He is scheduled to also brief members of the New York delegation on the situation.



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“The Gateway Tunnel is critical for rail traffic entering New York and the entire Northeast,” Cuomo said in a statement. “It is essential that this project, which has been delayed for years, goes forward.”The connection between New Jersey and Penn Station — which moves hundreds of thousands of passengers daily — consists of a pair of 105-year-old tunnels that were in desperate need of repair before incurring additional damage from Hurricane Sandy. The tunnels are expected to be closed sometime in the next decade for at least one year for repairs.But closing the existing tunnels without the creation of additional tracks would reduce system capacity by 75 percent, which would paralyze the region.The Gateway Program would construct a new tunnel under the Hudson River, repair the old one and add a platform and station capacity at Penn Station. New York, New Jersey, Amtrak and the Obama administration had all agreed to help fund the project.But supporters of the program have questioned Trump’s commitment. The Department of Transportation recently withdrew from the program’s board of trustees, and Trump proposed limiting funding for a grant program in a way that would have excluded Gateway.House lawmakers, however, have included funding for the project in their annual spending bills.