![]() Precise measurements ensured that each tube lined up perfectly to meet in the middle. At the tunnel’s deepest point, it is 93.4 feet underwater.Ĭonstruction started simultaneously on both sides of the river. Once completed, the two tubes that run its length - for vehicles running in opposite directions - would span over 8,500 feet. 36-year-old Harvard-educated Clifford Milburn Holland was made chief engineer of what was then called the Hudson River Vehicular Tunnel project. The Holland Tunnel was constructed between 19 with an official opening in 1927, and upon completion it became the largest vehicular underwater tunnel in the Americas. After that very difficult winter, the effort to build what we now call the Holland Tunnel became a priority. There were serious coal and food shortages on the east side of the Hudson as the majority of the goods that kept NYC going were usually shipped in via the Jersey City waterfront. For weeks, boat traffic between New Jersey and New York City was impossible. ![]() In January of 1918, due to record cold temperatures, the portion of the Hudson River surrounding New York City froze. Read on to learn all about the history of the Holland Tunnel. Though when driving needs do arise, the Holland Tunnel is right here to get us where we need to be. A trip through the Holland Tunnel requires paying the toll, difficult parking on the other side, heavy traffic with no right turns on red, pedestrians everywhere, traffic weaving bikes… it’s certainly a hassle. For example, Journal Square, with a double-decker parking garage, access to the PATH and bus system, and easy access to the Pulaski Skyway via the Tonnelle Avenue or Routes 1 and 9 to get to I-78 or the Garden State Parkway are possibly the best options for those from farther than the immediate New Jersey-New York border.Taking the PATH train or hopping a ferry are arguably the easiest forms of transportation that Hudson County residents can use to get into NYC for a workday commute or a weekend visit. Another way to get into the city for drivers is to park close to a PATH or NJ Transit station and take mass transit the rest of the way. However, both of these options experience delays during the overnight hours due to construction and maintenance, in addition to the extra volume due to the closure of the Holland Tunnel. The George Washington Bridge and the Lincoln Tunnel will remain open for drivers. The NJ Transit bus system will continue running but will experience some issues from the tunnel closures. Pedestrian passengers can still use NJ Transit trains and PATH trains as usual. However, there is a possibility that variances in the project could impact the scheduled resumption of normal operations.ĭespite the closures, many other ways exist to cross the Hudson River. This will continue until the end of 2025. The tunnel will, however, remain open on Saturday nights. Friday night into Saturday morning, the closure period will be 11:59 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, the tunnel will be closed from 11 p.m. The tunnel will be closed for six nights per week. About 84% of the funding comes from federal aid and grants like the Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery, a $4.2 billion grant given to New York to recover from the impacts of Sandy. The Holland Tunnel Sandy Repairs and Resiliency Improvements project, currently planned by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the governing body of the Holland Tunnel, will encompass structural, electric, and other systems and cost upwards of $364 million. The initial temporary repairs made the tunnel functional, yet it was always evident that major renovations would be required. Saltwater, sewage, and debris caused severe structural damage to the tunnel’s infrastructure. During the storm, nearly 30 million gallons of water from the rain and storm surges flooded the Holland Tunnel. The state of New York reports about $19 billion of damages occurred. For the following 48 hours, the region was battered by severe wind, rain, and flooding. Hurricane Sandy struck the New York City area on October 29, 2012. When Hurricane Sandy hit, temporary repairs were made, but the tunnel never received long-term restorations. Because the storm was so long ago, it was surprising when it was announced that on February 5, for two years, the Holland Tunnel is to be closed six nights a week to conduct repairs and renovations to fix the damage done by the storm and update the existing infrastructure as well. Hurricane Sandy is a distant memory for most students here at Stevens.
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