East River Tunnel Overhaul Begins Despite Rush Hour Concerns

East River Tunnel renovations will begin Friday as Amtrak launches a $1.6 billion project that may severely impact daily LIRR commuter service for the next three years. This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

Amtrak will shut down two of the four East River Tunnel tubes, one at a time, to repair damage caused by Superstorm Sandy’s corrosive flooding. The move will cut tunnel capacity by 25%.

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Commuter advocates, Governor Hochul, and LIRR officials warn the shutdown could disrupt 461 Long Island Rail Road trains entering Manhattan on weekdays. Each remaining tunnel must now handle more traffic.

East River Tunnel Closures Spark Safety and Delay Worries

LIRR President Robert Free called Amtrak’s strategy risky and urged work be limited to nights and weekends. He warned a minor issue in one of the active tunnels could trigger systemwide chaos.

But Amtrak rejected this approach, stating that full-time closures offer the safest and most efficient method. The rail agency added that the MTA approved the project months earlier and delayed the start.

Amtrak President Roger Harris confirmed they continue to coordinate with local agencies to limit disruptions and reduce project length. Still, one tunnel will remain closed throughout each phase of construction.

LIRR Releases New Timetables Amid Tunnel Work Concerns

Although the first tunnel targeted serves mostly Amtrak trains, rerouting all traffic through the remaining tubes could increase crowding and delay risks for LIRR commuters during peak periods.

LIRR has released updated timetables to reflect service changes. However, questions remain about tunnel resiliency and whether Amtrak can prevent cascading delays during the outage.

Amtrak maintains that temporary fixes are no longer sufficient. While past emergency repairs kept trains running, the aging infrastructure demands full rehabilitation to ensure long-term reliability.

The East River Tunnel overhaul marks a critical but controversial step toward rebuilding one of New York’s busiest rail corridors. Stakeholders will closely monitor the project’s execution in the months ahead.

Source: www.massapequapost.com

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