Biden’s budget proposal includes $400 million for the Second Avenue subway project

President Biden’s proposed budget includes $400 million in funding for the next phase of the Second Avenue subway and $100 million for the long-awaited Gateway Tunnel, the White House said Monday.

The money, which must be approved by Congress, would go toward planning and scheduling the project, giving the MTA an opportunity to request additional funding in the future.

The $6.9 billion subway extension would add stops at 106th Street, 116th Street and 125th Street using 16 blocks of existing tunnels built in the previous century. Gov. Kathy Hochul pledged in November to kickstart the effort sometime this year.

New York may request additional funding from the president’s budget through a separate process, according to the office of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who added that about half of the project may receive federal funding.

Gateway Development Corporation said in a statement that the $100 million allocation is the first time “specific” federal funding has been allocated to build a new tunnel under the Hudson Riders.

New York and New Jersey officials have said federal dollars will cover part of the $11.9 billion tunnel. The two states agreed in 2015 to split the rest.

The tunnel is part of the larger Gateway project to repair tunnels in New York and New Jersey damaged by Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Federal permits for the tunnel have been blocked by the Trump administration.

Additional funds for infrastructure projects were approved by last year’s bipartisan infrastructure agreement; The federal states must apply for these funds.

“With this funding, made possible by the bipartisan Infrastructure Act, we can help support transit projects across the country that will improve the lives of millions of Americans,” Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said in a statement.