Cuomo Declares $11B Manhattan Rail Project Complete

Gothamist reports:

Major construction on East Side Access located under Grand Central Terminal is complete. The 15-year long, $11 billion terminal and concourse is seven stories underground, and will allow Long Island Rail Road trains to pull into Grand Central Terminal, reducing the burden on Penn Station—and ultimately shave up to 40 minutes off commutes into Manhattan.

About half the Long Island Rail Road trains will be diverted to Grand Central Terminal. Crews are now doing the finishing touches on the station, and Governor Andrew Cuomo promised Thursday it will open to the public sometime next year.

Read the full article.

The Long Island Rail Road will stop at Grand Central next year. Major Construction Completed At East Side Access, Still On Schedule For 2022 https://t.co/5FfuvhJdQM via @gothamist @WNYC @s_nessen

— Beth Fertig (@bethfertig) May 28, 2021

East Side Access taking shape. It *will* open next year, Gov. Cuomo announced today. pic.twitter.com/ayU7Yl2mxb

— Second Ave. Sagas (@2AvSagas) May 27, 2021

By the end of next year, Long Island Rail Road trains will have access to Grand Central Terminal for the first time. The MTA says after decades of delays the East Side Access project is on track for completion by December 2022. https://t.co/aPUKgtAbR9 pic.twitter.com/5MPsrfUkFx

— Eyewitness News (@ABC7NY) May 27, 2021

Major construction on East Side Access is complete!

Opening next year, East Side Access will give @LIRR commuters the option to go straight to Grand Central.

It will be the first LIRR expansion in 100+ years.

Better infrastructuremore economic growth.pic.twitter.com/nQBEyT7Scv

— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) May 27, 2021

Here is a photo I snapped of some East Side Access escalators in Oct. 2018, when they were still under construction.

Let me tell you, these are some LONG escalators. pic.twitter.com/yy2rL6Ln2k

— Jose Martinez (@JMartinezNYC) May 27, 2021