the goa report says that the federal government was, in fact, offering to share those costs. so what was the problem? well, having nixed the big tunnel project, governor christie spent the money for it, spent the tunnel money on the state s transportation trust fund. which it just so happens was almost empty at time and which it just so happens is funded by a gasoline tax, which it just so happens chris christie made a campaign promise not to raise. so how do these dots connect? killing a giant state federal infrastructure project did a couple of things for chris christie. it helped make him a famous conservative republican guy. he s known as the guy who stood up to the feds and killed this expensive tunnel project. he s got his own bridge to nowhere, but he killed it.