Amtrak Completes First Phase of East River Tunnel Rehabilitation Project

Amtrak announced on Aug. 17 that it has officially reopened East River Tunnel (ERT) Line 2, completing the first major phase of the ERT Rehabilitation Project and providing key safety and reliability improvements for thousands of daily Amtrak, Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), and NJ TRANSIT customers.

“This milestone reflects the progress Amtrak is making to rebuild critical infrastructure while maintaining service for the millions of customers who rely on the Northeast Corridor every year. Reopening Line 2 of the East River Tunnel restores a vital transportation link and positions it to serve rail passengers for another 100 years. We appreciate the strong support of the Federal Railroad Administration and close coordination with our partners throughout the project, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration as we begin rehabilitation of the second and final tunnel tube,” said Amtrak Interim President Byl Herrmann.

“Achieving this milestone required close collaboration between the MTA and Amtrak, and we’ll continue to be active partners on all shared infrastructure projects to guarantee the best results for riders. Representing the interest of MTA customers is always our number one priority,” said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber.

“This project represents smart engineering and smart construction supported by smart policy, delivered in the best possible approach. America deserves the world’s greatest transportation, and that includes the world’s greatest trains. Now, after decades, we’re finally getting it done…safely, fast, and right. On behalf of the Rail Passengers Association’s 127,000 members, donors, and supporters nationwide, congratulations to Amtrak, FRA, MTA, New Jersey Transit, MTA, and the entire team,” said Rail Passengers Association President & CEO Jim Mathews.

Work Completed

Over the past year, crews completely reconstructed the 116-year-old tunnel’s interior systems, including track, power, communications, drainage, and structural elements. Skanska and joint venture partner E-J Electric Installation Co. were awarded the construction contract in summer 2024. STV, in joint venture with Artheon (formerly Naik Consulting Group), is providing construction management (CM) services for the rehabilitation program.

• This work involved demolition, removal, and replacement of significantly deteriorated infrastructure and incorporated construction of new bench walls designed to improve safety, maintenance access, and operational performance.
• In total, more than 24,000 feet of rail, 8,000 tons of ballast, 8,000 wooden rail ties, and 20,000 cubic yards of bench wall concrete were removed and replaced.

“This phase demonstrates that major rail infrastructure can be renewed without major impacts to the transportation networks that communities depend on,” said Liviu Chivu, vice president and senior program manager at STV. “The approach to physically separate the entire project footprint from active infrastructure strengthened safety, significantly improved construction access and created a practical model for modernizing aging infrastructure while maintaining service.”

Project Overview

The East River Tunnel opened in 1910 and is one of the busiest passenger rail tunnels in the Western Hemisphere, serving 450 daily Amtrak, LIRR, and NJ TRANSIT trains. Two of the four tubes required significant repairs and comprehensive reconstruction following damage caused by floodwaters that entered the tunnel during Superstorm Sandy.

• The second and final phase of the project will begin this fall and feature the same scope of work for the Line 1 tunnel. Ahead of the work in Line 1, Amtrak will conduct additional hardening activities to reduce the risk of infrastructure failures, as was done for Line 2.
• The $1.6 billion project remains within budget and on track to finish by the end of 2027.

It is funded primarily by a federal grant administered by the Federal Railroad Administration, along with contributions from Amtrak, MTA, and NJ TRANSIT.

Throughout project construction, three of the four East River Tunnels remained available to ensure continued Amtrak, LIRR, and NJ TRANSIT service. Amtrak is committed to minimizing passenger impacts, and the company’s infrastructure hardening investments combined with mitigation actions helped to limit service delays during the Line 2 outage. Those efforts included around-the-clock engineering coverage, more frequent inspections as track access time permits, and strategically positioned rescue equipment.

Milestone Celebration

Amtrak and partners celebrated with an event at New York Penn Station and ceremonial train ride through the newly rebuilt tunnel, including Federal Railroad Administrator David Fink, MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber, LIRR President Rob Free, NJT Acting Senior Vice President and General Manager of Rail Operations Dan Rogust, and other partners.

This is one of several megaprojects underway in the New York/New Jersey region that will benefit Amtrak and commuter passengers.

• Earlier this year, NJ TRANSIT and Amtrak opened the first track across the Portal North Bridge in Kearny, NJ.
• The New York Penn Transformation Project is one step closer to having shovels in the ground next year following the recent selection of a Master Developer.
• Other investments like the Hudson Tunnel Project and Penn Station Access are moving forward, making progress every day.