NYC’s Tunnel To Nowhere
It might seem insulting to call a train tunnel reaching into Queens a “Tunnel to Nowhere.” That is, if you’re a Queens resident. This is the long-standing nickname for New York City’s East River Tunnel at 63rd St.
An almost $70 Million Dollar project, which began in November of 1969, was set to open in the early/mid 1970′s with both an upper and lower level. It was meant to bridge the gap (so to speak) between parts of Midtown, Queens and Roosevelt (“Welfare Island” as it was once dubbed) Island.
By 1989, after a decade of delay, the upper level opened, and only deposited passengers at one stop in Queens before heading back, hence the “Tunnel to Nowhere” tag given to it by then Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney.
To date – the project has cost The MTA and New York 1.5 Billion dollars. Its lower level has never been used by the public, though plans to restart construction and connect it to Grand Central Station are underway. This video documents part of the ambitious excavation of the Tunnel at 63rd st in 1970 – ’71. Thanks to NYC The Blog for posting it!
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