EAST SIDE ACCESS TUNNEL

An immense and vital project for the MTA and the people who ride the NY subways, the East Side Access (ESA) will connect the LI Railroad’s Main and Port Washington lines in Queens to a new terminal beneath Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan.

In a joint venture with Dragados, Judlau is now boring this new subway tunnel, which will traverse under the East River from Queens into the east side of the City. The two companies have purchased two 22 foot diameter Double Shield Tunnel Boring Machines to cut into the hard bedrock.

With all the equipment, electric, ventilation and debris conveyor now in place, and the starter tunnels and assembly chambers completed in 2007, this massive $7 billion undertaking is fully in progress.

When completed (scheduled for 2013), the ESA will increase the LIRR’s capacity to provide service into Manhattan, greatly reduce travel time for LI commuters, and provide a new rail station in Sunnyside, Queens.