Puneet Varma (Editor)

Battery Park Underpass

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Official name
  
Battery Park Underpass

Constructed
  
1940-1951

Number of lanes
  
4

Route
  
FDR Drive

Closed
  
October 29, 2012

Battery Park Underpass httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediacommonsthu

Location
  
Battery Park, Manhattan, New York City

Opened
  
April 11, 1951 (1951-04-11)

Road
  
Franklin D. Roosevelt East River Drive

Starts
  
Franklin D. Roosevelt East River Drive, Financial District

Ends
  
West Side Highway, Battery Park City

The Battery Park Underpass is a vehicular tunnel in Manhattan, New York. It was the second section of Manhattan's Franklin D. Roosevelt East River Drive to be completed. The underpass crosses beneath Battery Park and the approach to the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel.

Contents

Map of Battery Park Underpass, New York, NY 10004, USA

History

The underpass opened to the public on April 11, 1951. It runs underneath Battery Park, connecting the West Side Highway to the South Street Viaduct with two lanes of traffic in each direction. The project was completed shortly after the opening of the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel and provides direct access between the tunnel and the FDR Drive.

In 2005, during the reconstruction of Route 9A, the roof of the Battery Park Underpass was extended to the north by about 80 feet (25m) to provide a U-turn lane and amenities for pedestrians and bicyclists.

During Hurricane Sandy, the tunnel filled completely with seawater and required major repairs.

Plans for extension

There have been three proposals to extend the tunnel north on the FDR Drive side.

  • In 1971, it was suggested that the South Street Viaduct be turned into a tunnel, essentially extending the underpass north to the Brooklyn Bridge
  • In 2002, the Downtown Alliance, the local Business improvement district, called for a 350-foot (105 m) extension to the underpass to create a plaza in front of the Battery Maritime Building. The estimated cost was $70 million.
  • In 2005, Mayor Michael Bloomberg also called for an extension of the underpass near the Battery Maritime Building as part of a plan to rehabilitate the South Street Viaduct.

    • References

    Battery Park Underpass Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA