The East River Tunnel (ERT) consists of four tubes connecting New York City to destinations east, and is used by Amtrak, Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), and NJ TRANSIT trains.
The tubes, which opened in 1910, require significant upgrades and comprehensive rehabilitation to modernize critical NEC infrastructure and improve reliability for a new era of rail. The ERT Rehabilitation Project is underway, restoring the two tubes that were damaged by Superstorm Sandy.
This work will modernize the tunnel infrastructure, improving safety, reliability, and security and bring the systems to a state of good repair. The project will involve demolishing the existing tunnel systems down to concrete liners, followed by reconstructing and modernizing all tunnel systems.
The ERT system opened in 1910 and features four tunnel tubes connecting Moynihan Train Hall at New York Penn Station—America’s busiest train station—with Queens and the northern end of the Northeast Corridor (NEC) between New York and Boston. Used by more than 450 daily Amtrak, Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) and NJ TRANSIT trains, the tunnel is a critical piece of the NEC, the busiest passenger rail line in the United States.
Once complete, the tunnel infrastructure will be ready to support the transportation needs of Amtrak and its commuter partners for the next 100+ years.
To stay up to date on the work, sign up to receive email updates or view the latest project updates here.
Fact Sheets
Images
Videos
Major Projects