Gateway Tunnel Project shutdown looms Friday after Trump administration pulled federal funding

The Gateway Program's Hudson River tunnel construction is set to shut down indefinitely Friday after the Trump administration pulled federal funding for the $16 billion infrastructure project in New York and New Jersey. 

Construction workers leaving the Hudson Tunnel worksite in New York City's Chelsea neighborhood Thursday had no idea if or when they would return. 

Hundreds of construction layoffs on deck

Gateway is supposed to build new commuter rail tunnels between New York and New Jersey, and upgrade the 100-year-old Amtrak tunnels that get trains from Boston to Washington, D.C. 

But after the Trump administration abruptly froze federal funding for the project back in October, about 1,000 workers are set to be laid off when the project shutters. 

"We are the pawns and it's not fair," shop steward Guido Rivieccio said. 

"We've gone as far as we can go"

The Gateway commissioner as well as the states of New York and New Jersey are suing the federal government to free up the funding that was already approved by Congress. 

"The Gateway Development Commission has expended every resource to prevent any interruption to construction, but we've gone as far as we can go," said Tom Prendergast, CEO of the Gateway Development Commission. 

Construction crews will have to dismantle, secure and shut down the site, which could cost an additional hundreds of thousands of dollars. 

"All these big cranes that you see are going to be lowered down and we're gonna just be closing everything up," Rivieccio said.

White House blames Schumer, Democrats

A White House spokesperson last week blamed Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Democrats for "standing in the way of a deal for the Gateway Tunnel Project by refusing to negotiate with the Trump administration."

"For the good of New York, New Jersey, our economy, and union workers, the only thing to do is for President Trump to release the legally approved funds now," Schumer said Thursday. 

"We are the pawns between both parties. They're arguing and at the end of the day, who gets hurt? The workers," Rivieccio said.

Commuters will feel the pain too as the aging infrastructure crumbles.

The White House did not immediately respond to CBS News New York's request for comment Thursday.