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TeamMisha t1_j5urg9z wrote

I still can't believe it is actually open and even has trains lol. This is 10+ years in the making right? I toured it today, clean and spacious, the depth is annoying of course, think the escalator up without walking is almost a minute long. Platforms are nice design as well, they have no columns on the platform so you have plenty of space to wait unlike at Penn

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SerKikato t1_j5v28v2 wrote

The concept was proposed in March 1954 and backed by a $658 million construction program. In 1963 the idea to add an LIRR track to the GCT-Queens connection was proposed, and construction began in 1969.

The MTA was only able to complete about 2/3rds of the tunnel before the financial crisis of 1975 put an end to ESA.

In 1997 Senator Al D'Amato asked for federal funds to complete the project. In 1999 the MTA proposed $17 Billion to capital projects with $1.6 Billion going to East Side Access. The idea was that it would complete within 10 years.

The rejuvenated project flew through red tape relatively quickly, with the final plan approved in 2002 and the land acquired in 2003. After finally getting funds approved and choosing their contractor in 2006, construction resumed in 2007 once the new boring machines arrived.

From 2007 till now, ESA was under construction. Total time from first being proposed to the public until opening was 69 years and 10 months. Time from first shovel dig to opening was 53 years and 4 months. Time from the its 2007 restart until opening was 15 years and 4 months.

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malefootlover1 t1_j5x9xnv wrote

wow!!! I like the original station it is not so white like it is now. It is very bright!!!!

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Biglolo3537 t1_j5yt2sb wrote

Sucks that it's worked out that way but it's beautiful.

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carpy22 t1_j5uv6ah wrote

More like 50+ years in the making. The LIRR uses the lower level of the 63rd Street Tunnel, directly under the F.

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pathwaysthrow t1_j5v200p wrote

Yeah way longer than that, they tried and gave up multiple times since the 50's on this. It's great it finally got done.

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colfer2 t1_j5w1z6s wrote

Maybe the location between 45th and 48th is more annoying than the depth. Street entrances are at 44th, 47th and 48th, escalators at 45th, 46th, 47th, 48th. The wheelchair route is between 46th and 47th from the tunnel under Vanderbilt Avenue. https://new.mta.info/map/24956

That tunnel looks small to handle a 50% increase in LIRR service. Is that what 50% means, that many trains to GCM?

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TeamMisha t1_j5wdny1 wrote

> Is that what 50% means, that many trains to GCM?

My understanding is originally they assumed 50% of current Penn-bound commuters would want to go to GCM so they could basically divert half the trains. I don't know what the final schedules are, I think they are being posted this week. I believe they do not have the crew and equipment to add a net 50% increase in service, i.e. 50% + existing to Penn, instead they will split service between the two.

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