Photo: DANIEL SLIM / AFP / Getty Images
This article has been corrected to reflect that dynamic pricing has not been suspended as a result of this agreement.
Governor Kathy Hochul announced an agreement with Amtrak to ease the impact of upcoming East River Tunnel repairs, starting Friday (May 23). The repairs aim to address damage from Superstorm Sandy, with two of the four tunnel lanes closing for reconstruction.
According to Amtrak, the $1.6 billion project will renew the century-old tunnels' power, signal, track, and structural systems. Despite structural soundness, the tunnels have suffered system failures, necessitating full reconstruction to ensure long-term reliability.
Governor Hochul had asked Amtrak to shift crews to meet capacity needs and to suspend dynamic pricing on affected train trips during the expected one-year shutdown. The state and Amtrak ultimately agreed to provide round-the-clock engineer coverage during the outage, more frequent inspections as the track access time permits, strategically positioned rescue equipment, and more.
In a letter to Governor Hochul, Amtrak President Roger Harris emphasized the importance of a united front to minimize passenger impact and reaffirm the commitment to infrastructure rehabilitation.
However, the project has faced criticism. The New York Daily News reported concerns from officials, including Governor Hochul, about the necessity of full closures. Critics argue that repairs could be done during nights and weekends, similar to the L train repairs in 2019. They suggest using cable racks to avoid full shutdowns, a method Amtrak plans to use for everything except power cables.
Despite these criticisms, the project is set to proceed, with the first tube closure beginning on Friday (May 23).