TED SHAFFREY, PHILIP MARCELO 新泽西州北伯根——一台巨型钻机上的强力刀具已轰鸣启动，即将开始在哈德逊河下开凿一条连接曼哈顿与新泽西的新火车隧道。
TED SHAFFREY, PHILIP MARCELO NORTH BERGEN, N.J. — Powerful cutters have whirred to life on a giant drill that will begin boring a new train tunnel under the Hudson River connecting Manhattan to New Jersey.
官员们周一齐聚新泽西州北伯根，为“门户”隧道举行象征性的启动仪式。这是美国几代人以来最大的公共交通项目之一。
Officials gathered in North Bergen, New Jersey, on Monday to ceremonially flip the switch on the Gateway tunnel, one of the largest U.S. mass transit projects in generations. “Our region is the beating heart of America, generating 20% of the nation’s GDP,” declared Democratic New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill.
“我们地区是美国跳动的心脏，贡献了全国20%的GDP，”新泽西州民主党州长米基·谢里尔宣称。“而这段10英里长的轨道就是它的主动脉。”纽约和新泽西州官员表示，这条隧道对全国经济至关重要，因为现有的已有116年历史的通道每天服务约20万名乘客。美国参议员查克·舒默表示，如果不建新隧道，“整个国家经济都可能崩溃”。
“And this 10-mile stretch of track is its main artery.”New York and New Jersey officials said the tunnel is vital to the national economy because the existing 116-year-old passage serves about 200,000 passengers daily. U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer said the “whole national economy could collapse” if the new tunnel isn’t built. “Did this matter to New York and New Jersey commuters? Yes,” the New York Democrat said.
“这对纽约和新泽西的通勤者重要吗？重要，”这位纽约民主党人说。“但它对全美国也同样重要。”周一亮相的这台重达1680吨的隧道掘进机长度接近两个足球场，配备了比钻石还硬的刀具。它是在德国定制制造，分部件运往美国，过去几个月在北伯根现场被精心重新组装。
“But it mattered to all of America as well.”The 1,680-ton tunnel-boring machine unveiled Monday is nearly the length of two football fields and armed with cutters harder than diamonds. It was custom made in Germany and sent in parts to the U.S., where it has been carefully reassembled on site in North Bergen the last few months. Officials on Monday said the machine is still undergoing final testing but is expected to begin cutting through the Palisades Cliffs in New Jersey in the coming days.
官员们周一表示，这台机器仍在进行最终测试，但预计未来几天将开始掘进新泽西的帕利塞兹悬崖。
The machine is one of two that are expected to carve a roughly 1-mile (1.6-kilometer) stretch through the dense, volcanic rock of the cliffs at a pace of about 30 feet (9.1 meters) a day.
这台机器是两台预计将以每天约30英尺（9.1米）的速度在悬崖致密的火山岩中开凿约1英里（1.6公里）长的机器之一。随后第二组机器将接手开凿哈德逊河下的隧道段。
A second set of machines will then take over to carve the tunnel section under the Hudson River. The $16 billion project is expected to take around a decade to complete but has already weathered years of political and financial setbacks.
这个耗资160亿美元的项目预计需要约十年才能完成，但已经经历了多年的政治和财务挫折。
President Donald Trump’s administration froze federal support last year, leading to a brief construction suspension before a federal judge ordered the payments restored while the legal fight continued.
唐纳德·特朗普总统的政府去年冻结了联邦支持，导致施工短暂中断，随后一位联邦法官下令在法律诉讼期间恢复拨款。作为诉讼相关方的美国交通部发言人周二未立即回复置评邮件。
Spokespersons for the U.S. Department of Transportation, the federal agency involved in the litigation, didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment Tuesday. “Nothing will stop us from digging this tunnel,” said New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, also a Democrat.
“没有什么能阻止我们挖掘这条隧道，”同样是民主党人的纽约州州长凯西·霍楚尔表示。“当你们看到纽约州和新泽西州携手合作时，请让开。”马塞洛从纽约发回报道。
“When you see New York and New Jersey working together, get out of our way.”Marcelo reported from New York.