East River (Tunnel) of Dreams

by Joe Aiello / Director of Community Engagement & Organizing

I’m pretty sure this is exactly what Billy Joel was talking about when he wrote that song…

Anyway.

So - while doing some quick research for this story, I ended up in an internet rabbit hole on the history of the New York Tunnel Extension from the early years of the last century. The plans for what we now know as the East River Tunnel go as far back as the 1870s, and wasn’t originally a tunnel at all. The Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR), working with the Long Island Railroad (LIRR), had hoped to increase passenger access to Manhattan and to better contend with rival New York Central Railroad -- which already held the city market thanks to Grand Central Station.

At the time, both railroads stopped short of reaching the city due to water - PRR from the west out of Jersey City hit the Hudson and the LIRR coming east from Queens had to contend with the East River - and all passengers had to hop on ferries to access Manhattan. So it was time to hit the drawing board. Those original plans I mentioned up top? Back in 1901, this was going to be a bridge project over the Hudson with two connecting stations - one for the PRR and one for the LIRR - allowing for a single seat ride through the city. But, thanks to land and construction costs, that bridge over the Hudson became plans for a tunnel under it to join tunnel plans under the East River.

So for $114 million -- just shy of $3 billion in today’s cash -- the entire tunnel network, along with a single station, opened in 1910. (This is also the origin story of Penn Station.)

Enough of the history lesson. Let’s talk about what’s ahead. The future of the North/Hudson River Tunnel is already in good hands thanks to the Gateway Program, with construction work beginning last year. But what about the future for the other piece of this 114-year-old infrastructure? The one that was filled with over 14 million gallons of eroding salt water during Hurricane Sandy and sees over 450 trains pass through each day?

Well, that’s what we are here for today.

Amtrak, who took ownership of all PRR/Penn Central properties in 1976, announced today that have officially awarded the construction contract to a Skanska E-J ERT Joint Venture. The $1.6 billion project is scheduled to take about 3 years to complete, with construction starting this year and wrapping up in 2027. The plans are to completely rebuild and modernize the tunnels after stripping them down to their bare concrete liner; including new fire & smoke systems, modern signals, and a new direct fixation track system.

My boss, Rail Passengers President & CEO Jim Mathews, was quoted in today’s release:

“America’s rail passengers have waited decades to see reconstruction begin on this 114-year-old tunnel complex, a wait that has become even more anxious in the past decade since Superstorm Sandy damaged this vital but fragile link. We’ve worked hard to secure the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding that made this possible, and it’s exciting to see so many newly funded projects finally start. Every completed project along the corridor improves mobility for millions of commuters, regional and long distance riders. That is why it's critical that we as a country continue our commitment to finishing what we have started, maintaining momentum and continuing to fund these long-term investments which make everyone’s lives safer, happier, and more productive.”

I think there is another quote that fits the situation here, from Daniel Hudson Burnham:

“Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men's blood!”

The plans for the East River Tunnel rehab are fascinating, and I’m excited to follow along over the next few years.

Here’s to the next 100 years of train travel through New York (state of mind).