Port Authority Chief Declines WTC Hub Ribbon Cutting, Citing Project's Costs

Outgoing Port Authority executive director Pat Foye says the agency will not be holding a ribbon cutting event for the new World Trade Center Transportation Hub because of the project's massive $4 billion price tag. 

Foye, who is leaving his post at the Port Authority next month, told WNYC he blames the cost overruns of the Santiago Calatrava-designed Hub on decisions made before his tenure as director.

"Over a period of years before we arrived there were substantial cost overruns, and that's regrettable," Foye said. "And frankly one of the reasons we decided a party was inappropriate."

Foye added that a lot of the money spent on the project could have been used elsewhere.

"Frankly, a billion or a billion and a half or two could have been taken out of the hub and put into New York Penn Station, or put into the Gateway tunnel, or put into Terminal A at Newark Airport," he said.

Foye adds those projects would have also created more jobs throughout the region.

The transportation hub is set to open early next month.

This story was first reported in Politico.