Some proponents of the tunnel believe Mr. Christie is motivated, in part, by wanting to divert the money to state projects. He has refused to raise the gas tax, among the lowest in the nation at 10.5 cents per gallon, to beef up the nearly broke state fund.
The governor has said the tunnel and state transportation needs are separate issues.
At least $1.25 billion becomes available for state projects with the tunnel's demise.
State Assemblyman John S. Wisniewski, who is Transportation Committee chairman as well as the chairman of the state Democratic Party, called Mr. Christie's decision a "monumental failure of leadership."
"The governor was presented with several ways to solve his cost concerns, yet he obviously failed to give any of those options serious consideration because he had already made up his mind to cancel the project to take its funding and spend it elsewhere."
