One of the first major transportation projects that I championed after coming to Congress, the 1300 foot 63rd Street Tunnel Connector consisted of ½ mile of new construction and 8 miles of rehabilitation work, and was completed in 2001. I worked with my colleagues in the New York delegation, particularly then-Congressman Thomas Manton who championed the project to President Clinton, to obtain federal funding for the project. As a result, the federal government contributed $306.1 million to the 63rd Street Tunnel Connector, which cost a total of $645 million.

© Metropolitan Transportation Authority

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The 63rd Street Tunnel Connector was needed in order to make use of the 63rd Street Tunnel built under the East River during the 1970s as part of a project to expand subway service in Queens. At a cost of $868 million (roughly half of which was paid by the federal government), the Tunnel Connector relieves congestion on subway lines to Queens, enabling NYC Transit to add 20% more trains – about 17 an hour – during rush hour. The 63rd Street Tunnel consists of two levels – an upper level to relieve subway congestion and a lower level, designed to accommodate East Side Access. The 63rd Street Tunnel Connector allows the MTA to make use of the upper level. The lower level has never opened.

History

• The original tunnel was partially built with funds from a 1967 bond issue, and partially with federal funds (roughly half of the cost was paid by the federal government). It cost $898 million and was dubbed the ‘Tunnel to Nowhere.’
• By the time the project was halted, it was 7 years behind schedule and cost 3 times its original estimate.
• The 63rd Street tunnel was designed in conjunction with the 2nd Avenue Subway and both were expected to be completed at approximately the same time in the 1970s.
• Subways began running through the newly completed 63rd Street connector on December 16, 2001.

What the Project Entailed

• Extensive rehabilitation of eight miles of the existing 63rd Street tunnels, including new signals and track crossovers.
• Extending both levels of the 63rd Street tunnel 1300 feet and joining the upper level to existing subway lines by means of new ramps; the lower level, belonging to the LIRR, was extended as MTA proceeded with plans to connect this tunnel to the LIRR's Main Line and Port Washington Branch.
• Widening the main Queens Boulevard corridor line between 33rd and 36th Street to six tracks; two of these tracks being ramps that enter below the main line and rise to switches west of 36th Street station, allowing trains to access either local or express tracks.
• Constructing diversion tunnels to allow existing subway services to continue operating without interruption.
• Tunneling 20 feet under the Northern Boulevard subway, and underpinning the existing Northern Boulevard roadway, buildings and express tracks. This required the contractors to cut deep shafts through 140 ft. of rock after slurry walls were built. The new tunnels then had to penetrate an inverted concrete plug.
• Providing up to 90-foot wide temporary roadway surfaces to allow automobiles to operate unimpeded.
• Integrating two four-story, 8,000 square foot ventilation buildings located at 29th Street and 39th Street.
• Lowering a sewer siphon 50 feet to make room for a new tunnel.
• Mitigation of significant ground water.
• Constructing a new TA employee facility.