• The East Side Access Project has excavating tunnels approximately 120 feet beneath Manhattan streets. Two tunnel boring machines (TBMs) were used, one manufactured by SELI and one manufactured by Robbins. The two TBM's in Manhattan made eight successful tunnel drives starting and ending at various points along the alignment. At the end of November 2009 all of the upper tunnel drives were completed and in 2011, all the Manhattan tunnels were successfully mined.
• Excavation to create the caverns with in Grand Central Terminal are currently underway and have an estimated completion date of early 2012
• The East Side Access Project is also excavating four new tunnels in Queens. Two slurry TBMs that can tunnel through soil have been purchased by the contractor. Components of the soft ground TBMs used for the Queens Bored Tunnels and Structures contract has been transported to the construction site in Queens, New York and assembled. Tunneling began in May 2011 with launch of the first machine. The launch of the second machine is expected to begin in July 2011. For pictures of the TBMs please click here. To learn more about Queens Tunnels Excavation contract, please click here.
• The East Side Access Project challenged local 6th Graders at I.S 204 with the task of naming the two slurry TBMs that will be used as part of the Queens Bored Tunnels and Structures contract. The names were revealed at the TBM launch event held recently at the Sunnyside Yard construction site. For pictures of the event please click here.
• Weekly progress photos for all East Side Access contracts can now be found on Flicker by clicking on the link below http://www.flickr.com/photos/mtacc-esa

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