Amtrak has officially commenced long-term work on the East River Tunnel Rehabilitation Project, which will restore two of the four tunnel tubes used to connect Manhattan with Long Island and New Jersey.
The initial stage involves a full closure of Line 2, one of the tubes damaged by Superstorm Sandy in 2012.
Although the East River Tunnels remain structurally safe for passengers, many of the internal systems have deteriorated over the past decade. The twin tunnels affected by the storm—Lines 1 and 2—were flooded with saltwater, leading to long-term damage to electrical, signal, and structural systems. As a result, Amtrak plans to fully rehabilitate both tubes, extending their service life by another century.
The project involves the removal of all existing systems in each tube down to the concrete liner, followed by the installation of modern replacements. Only one tube will be closed at a time to allow the work to proceed as efficiently as possible, while the remaining three tunnels continue to carry traffic for Amtrak, the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), and NJ TRANSIT.
In preparation for the closure of Line 2, Amtrak has been carrying out various upgrades and mitigation works in the tunnels that will remain operational. This included repairs to damaged bench walls, sealing of tunnel linings to reduce water ingress, third rail replacement, and updates to signal and power systems along Lines 1, 3, and 4. These efforts are intended to ensure the reliability of service during the extended three-tunnel operation period.
The East River Tunnel Rehabilitation Project is part of broader efforts to modernise the rail corridor and address long-standing infrastructure vulnerabilities exposed by extreme weather events.
Amtrak recently highlighted its broader fleet renewal and service expansion plans at Railway Interchange.
