Officials of the Gateway Tunnel Project say it will be at least two years before construction begins on the new railroad tunnel connecting New Jersey to New York.

More than 200,000 New Jersey Transit and Amtrak customers pass through the two current tunnels every day. Each Tunnel is more than 100 years old and riders say that it is time for a new one.

The need for a new tunnel became more evident to riders in the wake of two recent train derailments that crippled the Northeast Corridor for days.

Officials say that most of the design work on the Gateway Tunnel Project has yet to be done and there still is not a dedicated revenue source for the construction.

Proposed cuts by the Trump administration could impact the project, according to some New Jersey leaders. But the head of the Gateway Project Development Corporation says that he is more optimistic.

“These are programs of national significance that are fundamental to the economy of the region, as well as the country,” says Rich Bagger.

Work on the Portal North Bridge, a crucial part of the Gateway Project, is expected to begin next summer.