By Erin Weber
If you liked Catalyst’s premier theme regarding New York City, you’d likely be interested in a current exhibit that highlights eight massive infrastructure projects being built in the Big Apple. “The Future Beneath Us: 8 Great Projects Under New York” is an informative look into how foresight and strategic design will help modernize the city’s aging water and transportation systems into foundations that support a continuously growing population.
Of particular interest are the Croton Water Filtration Plant and the Trans Hudson Express Tunnel. The Croton Filtration Plant will provide up to 30% of New York City with filtered water. The unique feature of the plant is that, when completed, it will be hidden under the largest green roof in North America. Above the plant will be a golf course and driving range, which will provide a source of stormwater and groundwater reuse.
The Trans Hudson Express Tunnel will also have a positive effect on the environment. The Hudson Express Tunnel will add two tunnels to the essential link that connects New York City’s Penn Station to the south underneath the Hudson River. Construction begins this year after an exorbitant 16 years of planning. When trains begin running in 2017, more express and frequent NJTransit service are projected to encourage 22,000 commuters to take the train instead of their cars, reducing traffic and emissions.
The exhibit is on display through July 5th in two locations:
Projects 1-4 are at the New York Transit Museum’s Gallery Annex and Store at Grand Central Terminal in the Shuttle passage.
Projects 5-8 are located at the New York Public Library’s Science Industry and Business Library at 188 Madison Avenue at 34th Street.
Tonight, Tuesday, June 9th at 6pm will be a free presentation called “Virtual Design and Construction of Underground Facilities” hosted at the Science, Industry and Business Library.
Below are brief descriptions of the eight projects highlighted in the exhibit:
1. The East Side Access will land Long Island commuters on the East Side of Manhattan, at Grand Central Station, instead of wasting travel time by crossing to Penn Station and then returning to their midtown and east side destinations. Scheduled for completion in 2015.
2. The Second Avenue Subway will alleviate the 1.5 million daily riders on the Lexington Avenue line (that’s more commuters than travel on the Washington, Boston and Chicago rail systems combined)! Phase one, between 105th Street and 63rd street, will be completed in 2015.
3. The Fulton Street Transit Center will ease the confusion of the outdated maze that is currently problematic at the Fulton stop.
4. The 7 Line Extension will connect the west side Javits Center neighborhood to the subway system, in the hopes of revitalizing a valuable area of generally, undeveloped waterfront.
5. Croton Water Filtration Plant: as described above.
6. The City Water Tunnel #3 is the largest capital project in the history of New York City. It will alleviate the pressure on aging tunnels 1 and 2, which have not been shut down for repair since they began supplying water nearly 75 years ago.
7. Trans Hudson Express Tunnel: as described above.
8. The World Trade Center Site will be the third largest transportation hub in the city when completed in 2013 or early 2014.
If you can’t make it to the installations before the close on July 5th, learn more at http://www.transitmuseumeducation.org/fbu/projects/introduction
