A Tunnel Grows in Brooklyn: How an Innovative Portal Structure Minimized Impacts on Bustling Atlantic Avenue and Long Island Rail Road Operations in NYC

摘要

A new West Portal structure was required for a new lead track to / from the reconfigured LIRR Atlantic Yard as part of the overall project that involved the construction of Barclays Center as well as the development of the air rights over the rail yard. With the reconfigured yard, LIRR operations will now see the benefit of added flexibility as they will now have two points of access into the existing 2 track tunnel. The existing LIRR rail tunnel brings in 25,500 daily passengers (Mass Transit Authority 2010). A traditional approach for a new portal into the yard involved replacing the entire existing tunnel roof and would have resulted in significant impacts to LIRR operations, vehicular / pedestrian traffic on Atlantic Avenue, and the community.