By William C. Vantuono, Editor-in-Chief, Railway Age Magazine; November 1, 2018
The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) on Oct. 31 awarded its final major civil construction contract for the Long Island Rail Road East Side Access (ESA) project to Skanska USA Civil Northeast. The contract, valued at $60.2 million, includes two options that, if exercised, would bring the total value to $62.5 million. It’s among the final work needed to begin Long Island Rail Road service to Grand Central Terminal by year-end 2022.
The contract, known as CH058A Tunnel B/C Approach Structure, involves relocating tracks at Harold Interlocking in Sunnyside, Queens, to create space for an 800-foot structure that will connect trains traveling to and from Long Island with newly built tunnels to the new concourse under Grand Central, and then excavating 15,000 cubic yards of soil to build that structure. It also includes removal of a tunnel boring machine cutter head that remains in the tunnel from a prior contract, installation of overhead catenary that powers Amtrak and NJ Transit trains, and new communications, power and signal duct banks, tracks and switches.
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