The tunnel repair project’s completion marks “another huge step forward to repair the damage and strengthen the system to withstand the next major storm,” Cuomo said in a press release.
“New York’s transit network suffered more damage during Sandy than anyone at the MTA has ever seen in our lifetimes. The effort required to rebuild the Montague Tube was nothing short of heroic,” said MTA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Thomas Prendergast.
The Montague Tube was shut down Aug. 3, 2013, to provide workers unfettered access to remove damaged equipment from the two tunnels and demolish concrete and terra cotta duct banks in both tubes that had collapsed. Construction crews had to enter the 4,000-foot section under the East River from entry points in Manhattan and Brooklyn, removing all debris and bringing in all equipment and tools through the tunnels themselves. Crews replaced 11,000 feet of track, 30,000 feet of concrete and terra cotta duct banks, 75,000 feet of power cable and 200,000 feet of communications cable, MTA officials said.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is leaning toward a weekend-only format for closures of the Cranberry Street Tunnel, which requires substantial work to replace equipment damaged by flood waters during Hurricane Sandy. Work is expected to start within the first three months of 2015.
Ancien Hippie 