The rehabilitation of New York’s East River Tunnel officially started on Friday.
Opened in 1910, the East River Tunnel (ERT) consists of four tubes connecting New York City to Long Island and New England, and is used by Amtrak, Long Island Rail Road, and New Jersey Transit trains. It is part of Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor (NEC), which provides train service between Boston and Washington, DC, and is the busiest passenger rail line in the US.
Skanska-EJ ERT Joint Venture will demolish the existing tunnel systems down to the concrete liner. All tunnel systems will be reconstructed and modernised. This includes spot repairs and patching the tunnel liner; reconstruction of the bench walls; conversion from traditional ballasted tracks to a direct fixation track system; state-of-the-art fire and smoke detection systems; and replacement and modernisation of signal, traction power, standpipe, and drainage systems.
During construction, Amtrak plans to maintain the majority of train service by closing one tube at a time.
Work on the first tube is due to be completed late next year and construction of the second tube will begin. Both fully restored tunnel tubes will open to rail services in 2028.
