Collections Item Detail

2011.052

Lukacs, Claire

Gift

Museum Collections. Gift of a Friend of the Museum.

n/a

1936 - 1936

Date(s) Created: 1936 Date(s): 1936

Good

Notes: Archives 2011.052.0230 PORTRAIT OF A NEW TUNNEL - MIDTOWN HUDSON TUNNEL - UNDER THE HUDSON RIVER BETWEEN 39th STREET, MANHATTAN AND WEEHAWKEN, NEW JERSEY TO BE PLACED IN OPERATION AS A PUBLIC TRUST BY THE PORT OF NEW YORK AUTHORITY IN 1938 Issued January, 1936 - THE MIDTOWN HUDSON TUNNEL - Work is proceeding rapidly on construction of the newest of Hudson River crossings: the Port Authority's Midtown Hudson Tunnel. Ground was broken on May 17, 1934, and the under-river por- tion of the south tube, which is to form part of the "First Operating Unit" of the project, was "holed through" on August 2, 1935. This tube is now being lined with concrete and the roadway floor constructed. In the meantime, construction of approaches also proceeds apace. On the New York side, the necessary demolition was completed by June of 1935 and excavation for plaza and ap- proaches is well under way. Similar work on the New Jersey side started in January of 1936. So far, progress has been somewhat ahead of schedule and the tunnel is expected to be in operation by January 1, 1938. The tunnel runs between West 39th Street, Manhattan, and Weehawken, New Jersey, where con- nection will be made with all important roads in that area. The complete project provides for two under-river tubes. The South tube, with one of the two ultimate New York approaches, the Weehawken Plaza and connections will form the "First Operating Unit". The additional construction neces- sary to complete the whole project will be under- taken at a later date. The present arrangement provides for two-way traffic in the single tube. The New York approach is to include an entrance and exit roadway running from 34th to 42nd Streets, in the block between Ninth and Tenth Avenues. Connections will be made with 34th, 35th, 36th, 40th, 41st and 42nd Streets, the roadway passing under 37th, 38th and 39th Streets. When the second tube of the tunnel is built, another approach roadway will be constructed in New York, this one running above the New York Central's right-of-way from 37th to 42nd Streets in the block between Tenth and Eleventh Avenues. Excepting for its eighteen-inch greater roadway width, the new tube is patterned after the Holland Tunnel with interior and ventilation system similar. All of the under-river tunnel and part of the underground section will be constructed of cast iron or cast steel segments forming a shell 31 feet in diameter. Inside, this will be lined with concrete, paved, and brightly lighted. The ceiling will be of glass tiling. An air duct below the roadway will supply fresh air at all points from end to end of the tube; vitiated air will be sucked through grilles in the ceiling and carried to the ventilation buildings through the duct above. Three of these ventilation buildings are to be constructed, one at the foot of the Palisades in New Jersey, one at the river bulkhead in New York and one at the corner of 39th Street and Eleventh Avenue. The project was originally financed by a P.W.A. [Public Works Administration] loan. All advances have since been repaid and agrant of $4,780,000. has been given by the P.W.A. The balance of the cost is financed by sale of Port Authority bonds. DATA ON THE MIDTOWN HUDSON TUNNEL Length of first tube, portal to portal ... 8,180 feet Length of first tube, under river, about ... 4,600 feet Width of roadway ... 21 feet, 6 inches Planned headroom ... 13 feet External diameter of cast iron and steel shell ... 31 feet Maximum depth, surface of river to top of tunnel .... 70 feet Three ventilation buildings used, containing total of .. 32 fans First Operating Unit to be opened for traffic early in .. 1938 Cost of First Operating Unit extended to N. J. Routes I and 3, about ..... $43,600,000 Ultimate cost of complete (two-tube) project, about ... $75,000,000 The Port of New York Authority, owner of the new tunnel, oper- ates also the George Washington Bridge, the Holland Tunnel, the Bayonne Bridge, the Goethals Bridge, the Outerbridge Crossing and the Port Authority Commerce Building. Free route map and com- plete information on any of these facilities may be obtained at its General Offices: III Eighth Avenue, New York. Copies of tariff, rules and regulations may be obtained also from the toll collectors at any Port Authority facility. 36228 Status: OK Status By: dw Status Date: 2011-12-03