THE Tunnel Project

In 1909, the Pennsylvania Railroad completed construction of the trans-Hudson River railroad tunnels. By 1916 the Railroad had succeeded in its grand plan by developing an expansive rail network that stretched from Newark to Queens and included engineering marvels like the Hell Gate Bridge, the Sunnyside Rail Yard, and Manhattan's premiere gateway, Penn Station New York (PSNY). Over one hundred years later, the tunnels and associated infrastructure are nearing capacity in the commuter peak periods and can no longer accommodate the expansion in passenger rail services associated with continued growth and development in the region.

Meeting the region's mobility needs is critical to meet growing demand, achieve projected economic growth, and maintain Midtown Manhattan as a center of regional, national and global importance. Limited rail capacity underneath the Hudson River and at PSNY was recognized as a significant barrier to sustaining future economic growth for the New York metropolitan region. This ultimately led to this project's major goal of developing a new, two-track rail tunnel and an expanded PSNY under 34th Street aimed at increasing trans-hudson rail capacity.

A new Trans-Hudson Express Tunnel (The Tunnel Project) will maximize the travel benefits and flexibility for commuters into and out of midtown Manhattan. Rail capacity will double into New York City during peak hours with more frequent off peak/weekend access. The Project also ensures redundancy for more flexible maintenance, for national emergencies or other service disruptions.

THE Project features several key components, including:

Alignment

New York Penn Station Expansion

• One-seat rides and added capacity for thousands of commuters (Secaucus Loop)
• Additional rail storage yard