The Longest Tunnel In New York Has A Truly Fascinating Backstory
By Lisa Sammons|Published June 11, 2021
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Lisa Sammons
Author
Lisa loves animals and has dogs, rats, cats, guinea pigs, and snakes. She is passionate about animal rescue, particularly fixing stray cats. She also likes reading, playing Pokemon Go, and watching movies. Her dog Cece is the best dog in the whole world. You can reach Lisa at lsammons@onlyinyourstate.com
The Empire State is well-known for its many marvels of engineering. If you’re looking for man-made wonders in New York, you’ve come to the right place. One of our many achievements is the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel, also known as the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel. The Battery Tunnel connects Red Hook in Brooklyn with Battery Park in Manhattan and flows underneath the East River. It’s over 9,100 feet long and is the longest continuous underwater vehicular tunnel in North America.
Plans to connect the two areas were first discussed in the mid-1920s. The hope was that a connecting route could ease congestion from truck traffic in Manhattan. The idea of a bridge was rejected, as it was feared that it would impede ships' access to the Brooklyn Shipping Yard.
The New York City Tunnel Authority was created in 1936 in order to construct several tunnels in the area. There were many issues with funding. Construction finally began in 1940, but had to stop during World War II due to steel shortages.
The tunnel was constructed by digging from either end until the two tubes connected. By the summer of 1950, the tunnel was finally complete and ready to open. Nearly 14 million vehicles sped through the tunnel in its first year!
During Hurricane Sandy, the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel flooded with 86 million gallons of water. The laborious process of draining it took months, and flood gates were installed afterwards.
Over 20 million vehicles pass through the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel each year. It serves as an important connector between the culturally diverse areas of South Brooklyn and the hustle and bustle of the Wall Street and financial sector in Manhattan.
