Advocates and labor urge support for Hudson River rail projects and local light‑rail extensions

Speakers at Hudson County’s Oct. 23 meeting urged county leaders to oppose a federal move that could halt or terminate the Hudson River Tunnel project and to press state partners to fund regional light‑rail improvements.

Patrick (Patty) Kellerher, identified in the transcript as Patrick Kellerher and as president of the Hudson County Building Trades, told the Board he supported a resolution opposing termination of the tunnel project and thanked county officials for labor support. Commissioners Robert Baselice and Albert Cifelli responded in support, describing the project as vital to regional rail reliability that affects hundreds of thousands of commuters and thousands of construction and downstream jobs.

Separately, Jesse Halpern, a local advocate with Hudson County Complete Streets, described a meeting with New Jersey Transit and state officials and urged the Board to work with state partners to fund on‑the‑books projects that lack identified funding. Halpern specifically advocated for a Hudson‑Bergen Light Rail extension to the Bayfront development as a relatively lower‑cost, high‑impact project that would reduce car trips, support affordability and cut greenhouse‑gas emissions.

Commissioners said they would continue to monitor federal and state actions that affect the tunnel and other regional projects. No formal county resolution on the tunnel was recorded in the meeting minutes available at the time of the meeting; public speakers asked the Board to support opposition efforts and to coordinate with state partners on light‑rail investments.