Published: March 18, 2026
A Season of Transformation
This winter has marked one of the most significant periods of progress yet for the East River Tunnel Rehabilitation Project. As 2025 ended and the new year began, crews worked across every corner of the project to complete critical civil construction, advance complex systems installations, and prepare the tunnel for the next major phase now underway: track construction. Despite challenging weather, several demanding weekend outages, and an intense schedule, the project remains on track for reopening Line 2 in July 2026.
Benchwalls Completed
Since December, benchwall construction has continued at full speed, with crews pouring multiple 400-foot segments each week. That work wrapped up on February 6, with all benchwalls in the Line 2 tunnel now complete. This achievement caps off nearly four months of work since the first pour on October 20, setting us up for the next stage of work.
In total, the project team placed more than 16,000 linear feet of new benchwall across 41 individual pour days.
Benchwall concrete pour
New high & low benchwalls
Track Construction Begins
With benchwall construction completed, track construction officially began on February 7, marking the start of the tunnel’s transformation back into an operational railroad.
By the end of February, the project team had:
Work on the west end of the tunnel (between Penn Station & 1st Ave) is set to conclude this week.
Track installation preparation
Pouring concrete for new tracks
New tracks
Tunnel Systems Coming Online
While track construction moves forward, the tunnel continues to evolve, with installation of modern communication, power, and safety systems. Progress includes:
New LED handrails for better navigation
Splicing together cables
Duct bank work outside the tunnel portal
Preparing for Commissioning
With benchwalls complete, track installation underway, and systems coming online, the project enters a period of heightened focus as we prepare to turn systems online and eventually connect the Line 2 tunnel back with Northeast Corridor and New York Station tracks.
Work underway through this spring includes:
Looking Ahead
The winter months brought extraordinary progress, and the tunnel is now entering its most technically complex phase. The project team remains fully focused on delivering a modernized, resilient tunnel ready to serve passengers for the next century.