A transportation consultant who worked on the cancelled ARC Tunnel project believes a faster and better alternative to the Gateway Project is actually a pair of suspension bridges that would run from New Jersey to Manhattan to Queens.  

The $20 billion Gateway Project is the plan to construct two new Tunnels under the Hudson River to help ease NJ Transit and Amtrak congestion.  However, the tunnels are expected to take at least 15 years before they would be in service.  Consultant Scott R. Spencer believes the solution lies in building twin bridges, the first of which could be in service in just 5 years.  The tri-level bridges would carry two rail lines on the lower levels, while carrying buses on the middle levels, and pedestrian/ bike traffic on the upper levels.  

Spencer proposed the project at a public hearing on the tunnels last month and plans to send concept drawings and documents to the Federal Railroad administration.