"What is the Federal Role in Building Gateway?"

The Gateway Program, which will expand and renovate the Northeast Corridor Line, is a vital project to the region and country, but continues to face significant challenges. This represents just one example of many critical infrastructure projects in the US that has faced long delays and strong political headwinds despite enthusiastic public support for fixing our nation’s infrastructure. At root is a fundamental question broadly dividing the two political parties over the appropriate federal role in funding and delivering infrastructure projects.

Joining the debate on this question are two senior officials from the Biden and Trump Administrations. Hon. John Porcari, Managing Partner of 3P Enterprises, most recently served as the Port Envoy to the White House Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force. He is a former Deputy Secretary of the US Department of Transportation (USDOT), and twice served as Maryland Secretary of Transportation. John was the founding Executive Director of the Gateway Development Corporation. Hon. DJ Gribbin, founder of Madrus, is the former Special Assistant to the President for Infrastructure under former President Trump. He previously served as General Counsel for USDOT, and Chief Counsel for FHWA. The two will face off on the role of the federal government in the Gateway project, and more broadly, in infrastructure projects of regional and national significance.

This event is co-sponsored by the Columbia University Department of Civil Engineering and Engineering Mechanics and Young Professionals in Infrastructure (YPI).