The construction of two tunnels, known as Access to the Region's Core, may displace businesses and landowners in Midtown Manhattan. The project will connect New York and New Jersey, dropping passengers off below Macy's in Herald Square. Engineering studies have shown that the project may not be able to move forward without knocking down some of the buildings.

A $200 million commitment from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) will allow work to commence this summer on a segment of the Mass Transit Tunnel. The funding will facilitate construction on a 1 mile stretch beneath the Palisades Mountain from North Bergen to Hoboken, New Jersey.

New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine ordered Comptroller Matthew Boxer to audit the financial statements of the $8.7 billion Mass Transit Tunnel project. The executive order was signed to ensure that funding for the project is kept transparent and that the project will meet budget limitations.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced that almost $300 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will go towards supporting NJ Transit projects. $110 million will support the engineering, construction and management costs of the Mass Transit Tunnel and $20 million will be used to construct a new underpass, which will be built over the new tunnel tracks.

Bloomberg.com's architectural critic, James Russell, weighs in on how the Mass Transit Tunnel will connect to existing and proposed transit infrastructure. The Moynihan Station project has been stalled due to skyrocketing expenses and an unwillingness to significantly alter Madison Square Garden and nearby structures.

The City Council approved a land use plan for the Access to the Region’s Core Mass Transit Tunnel (ARC). Construction in Manhattan is expected to begin later this year.

The Regional Plan Association (RPA) expressed their support of the Access to the Region's Core (ARC) Railroad Passenger Station to the New York City Council on July 27, 2009. RPA projects that this development will facilitate job creation and will enhance transit throughout the region.

The City Planning Commission (CPC) approved a Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) application for the Access to the Region’s Core (ARC) project. Although not required, New Jersey Transit and The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey submitted the application in order to engender public support. The application will be sent to the City Council for final review.

On the day of the groundbreaking in New Jersey for the Access to the Region’s Core (ARC) tunnel, the federal government announced that it will contribute $3 billion for the project. With this infusion, the $8.7 billion project is now fully funded.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood called for the Access to the Region's Core (ARC) project to move forward and suggested that "a major commitment of federal funds" would be made. The necessary approvals for the project were delivered in early 2009, and LaHood said that New Jersey Transit would award its first construction contract this week.