The United States railway company Amtrak is set to begin a multi-year East River tunnel repair project on May 23. Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), which utilizes the East River tunnel, is urging passengers to prepare for potential major disruptions to commuter services.
This $1.6 billion project aims to fully restore the damage incurred by the East River tunnel due to the superstorm “Sandy” in 2012. Amtrak has deemed the repair of this damage urgent, and the project will involve the phased closure of certain passageways within the four tunnels, with an estimated duration of three years.
Recently, CBS News was granted access to the East River tunnel, and footage captured revealed the deteriorated condition of the tunnel’s cracked ceilings and the seepage of East River water onto the tracks.
Robert Free, the President of Long Island Rail Road, admitted that the closure of some tunnels will leave the remaining ones vulnerable to any unexpected incidents. Just last week, another tunnel malfunction caused severe delays, prompting Long Island Rail Road to suggest limiting construction to weekends or nights. However, Amtrak insisted on complete closure to carry out the repairs.
Amtrak responded in a statement, mentioning that a “repair as you go” approach like the one used for the L subway line is not feasible for the East River tunnel. The level of damage to the East River tunnel is severe, and for the tunnel’s lifespan to be extended to 100 years, comprehensive renovation is necessary instead of temporary fixes.