Once at the forward end of the tunnel, the men had to work swiftly because they could handle the pressure only briefly. The workers were then able to safely open the connecting door and crowd into the next section, where the entire ordeal would be repeated. An air pipe started hissing, and the men's ears would pop as the air pressure climbed until it equaled that of the adjoining lock. Crews entered air locks, one at a time, after which the doors at each end were sealed. Just entering and exiting the tunnel took a long time. The work of the sandhogs was dangerous, claustrophobic and tedious. From Perpetual Motion: The Illustrated History of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey by Joe Mysak and Judith Schiffer: Ole Singstad, who oversaw construction of the Holland Tunnel, consulted on the project under Port Authority chief engineer Othmar Ammann.ĬONSTRUCTION MOVES FORWARD: Once again, construction crews faced dangerous working conditions. Robert Moses, who was appointed chairman of the New York State Emergency Public Works Commission in 1933 under Governor Lehman, obtained funds for the Port Authority to construct the tunnel after negotiations with the federally run Reconstruction Finance Corporation in Washington. The Hudson River tunnel project was to be constructed in conjunction with an East River (Queens-Midtown) Tunnel between East 38th Street and Long Island City, Queens. The proposal also included a land tunnel extension from the toll plaza west through Bergen Hill, ending at Tonnelle Avenue (US 1-US 9) in North Bergen. Plans for the tunnel were first announced in 1930, when the Port Authority proposed a $62 million, twin-tube tunnel under the Hudson River between West 38th Street and Weehawken, New Jersey. Just after the Port of New York Authority (later the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey) acquired jurisdiction of the Holland Tunnel, the states of New York and New Jersey authorized the Authority to construct the "Midtown Hudson Tunnel" - later known as the Lincoln Tunnel - between Weehawken, New Jersey and midtown Manhattan. LEFT: This 2000 photo shows the Art Deco-style Manhattan portal of the Lincoln Tunnel and the east ventilation tower. View real-time New York area traffic reports
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