NEW YORK — Thinking of taking an overnight trip from New York City to New Jersey? If so, you may want to avoid the Holland Tunnel for the next few years at certain times.
This is because as of February 5, the New Jersey-bound tunnel will be closed to traffic during night hours. The closures will be from 11:00 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. six nights a week and through 2025, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said.
What is the reason for closing that 1.6 mile long part of the tunnel for so long? Critical repairs to damage from Superstorm Sandy, as well as resiliency projects to protect against future storms, according to the Port Authority.
The agency said 30 million gallons of brackish water entered bathtubs through New Jersey portals in October 2012. Some of the components that are still damaged include: sidewalks and safety rails; curb drain; structural steel; blow ducts; granite block retaining walls; exhaust ducts; fire detection and suppression systems; pump rooms; corroded lighting and elevator parts; and voice communication system and fiber optic cables.
The only night that no scheduled closures are expected will be Saturday nights. For those who need to get to New Jersey, the Port Authority recommends using the George Washington Bridge in Upper Manhattan, or the Lincoln Tunnel if going to Hudson or Essex counties. To access Staten Island or southern New Jersey, use the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge to the Goethals or Bayonne Bridges, or the Outerbridge Crossing.
Meanwhile, the overnight suspensions of New York-bound traffic will end at 5:00 am on February 4, when those repairs come to an end.
