5. East Side Access
The East Side Access project is currently one of the largest transportation infrastructure projects in America, according to the MTA. It’s designed to bring the Long Island Rail Road service to the East Side of Manhattan. The rail line will travel from Queens to Manhattan via the 63rd Street Tunnel where it will terminate at Grand Central Terminal. According to an article on Second Avenue Sagas, the completion date for the East Side Access Project is currently set between September 2020 and September 2023.
Whether you are a firm believer, optimist or transit cynic, the current state of these proposed rail lines only reaffirms the notion that providing New Yorkers with new rail service is a very protracted process.
Check out our behind the scenes photographs inside the construction of the Second Avenue Subway.