Have you ever wondered what it’s like 200 feet below Grand Central Terminal? Well, wonder no more – it is awesome.
Currently the nation’s largest transportation project, East Side Access will bring the Long Island Railroad into a new station underneath Grand Central Terminal. This will provide LIRR passengers with direct access to the east side, shaving 40 minutes off of the average commuter’s journey.
As a Young Professional in Transportation, I had the privilege of going underground to tour the mega project. Senior Quality Engineer Bill Ury led the tour, taking us through the mud as we ooh-ed and ahh-ed at the incredible site. Ury has been working underground for over 40 years and provided extraordinary insight, as well as a great deal of comfort. When I realized just how far down we were going, I suddenly felt extremely claustrophobic and wondered who we would eat first. But after passing the first tunnel all I could think was, how long will they let me stay down here?
The sheer magnitude of the project is astounding. Looking around, I was so impressed with how much has been done, but also amazed at how much more needs to be done. With revenue service slated to open in August 2019, I tried to picture what the final product will look like. The tunnel holes looked so clean and perfect, like a train could come in at any moment, but there is still an entire station to be built, and six more years to go!
Photos cannot fully express how extraordinary the project is. But let me try:
For many reasons, including safety, tours are not open to the public. But I could not help but think that if the average New Yorker could just get a glimpse of this underground world, they would stop complaining for five minutes and appreciate the incredible work being done behind the scenes. The New York City subway system is the most extensive in the world, but it is also one of the oldest. Mega projects like East Side Access and the Second Avenue Subway are going to transform transportation for New Yorkers for many years to come, so a few more years of waiting shouldn’t be too difficult.
For another look underground, check out Wired magazine’s awesome video.
The MetroCard Collective 
Very cool pictures!