See inside Grand Central Station's newly opened Long Island Rail Road terminal — finally open to passengers after 15 years of construction
- Construction on Grand Central Madison began in 2006, and cost $12 billion.
- The terminal could cut 40 minutes off of some riders' commutes, according to the New York Times.
The Long Island Rail Road terminal at Grand Central Station in Manhattan is finally open after decades of planning, construction, and delays.
Shuttle service from Queens to the terminal, called Grand Central Madison, began Wednesday. The first rides marked the completion of a project that began in the 1960s to connect Queens to Manhattan's East Side.
While construction on parts of the tunnel that connects to Grand Central Madison began in the 1960s and was completed in the 1980s, work to connect tunnels to Grand Central Station didn't begin until 2007. Now, 15 years later, Long Island commuters have finally taken their first trips to the East Side.
Riders have long awaited the $12 billion project, which can cut as much as 40 minutes off of some commutes, the New York Times reported Wednesday.
Insider dug up photos showing a timeline of construction at the terminal, from a hole underground to a shiny new station.
In the beginning, there was darkness ...
... yet progress continued more than a decade after the project began. By 2018, construction had moved forward significantly, adding rails, a platform and a mezzanine to the once bare bones hole underground.
Grand Central Madison's platforms sit well over 100 feet underground. For some commuters, reaching the subway could take up to 12 minutes.
Crunch time came in May 2022, with construction on some parts of the terminal in full swing as commuters anxiously awaited the planned 2022 opening. However, troubles with a fan halted the terminal's opening late last year.
By the end of last spring, the final product began to materialize. While construction in some parts of the terminal was still underway, platforms were nearly complete.
A first look at the new terminal last year appeared to include bright screens and a glossy look, as the pieces began to come together.
A photo of the same platform entrance shows the results of the finishing touches just before the terminal opened Wednesday to the public and welcomed its first passengers.
Commuters appeared to rejoice on the first day of operation at the terminal, marveling at the architecture and taking their first rides to and from the city.
After more than 15 years, the platform is squeaky clean and finally ready to take on the intensity and volume of New York City commuters.
Travelers trek up and down the long escalator to Grand Central Madison, marking a new era for the LIRR.
Next Story
A top AI researcher reportedly left Google for OpenAI after sharing concerns the company was training Bard on ChatGPT data
An AI researcher who has been warning about the technology for over 20 years says we should 'shut it all down,' and issue an 'indefinite and worldwide' ban
What is an indictment? What it means for someone to be indicted by a grand jury and why Trump was charged
India reports 3,824 new Covid cases
77% of young Indians now spend the most on phones, apparels
Global Pharma recalls 50,000 tubes of contaminated eye drops in US: USFDA
