Water leaks into Manhattan tunnel due to drilling mistake, snarling traffic
Commuters looking to drive into Manhattan should avoid the Queens-Midtown Tunnel at all costs, as a drilling mistake Wednesday led to water leaking into the tunnel and closing down both tubes for hours, snarling traffic for miles.
Commuters looking to drive into Manhattan should avoid the Queens-Midtown Tunnel at all costs, as a drilling mistake Wednesday led to water leaking into the tunnel and closing down both tubes for hours, snarling traffic for miles.
A contractor working for the New York City Economic Development Corporation mistakenly drilled a small hole in the outer casing of the tunnel while doing preliminary work on the East River Esplanade around 12:30 p.m., according to a spokesperson. From that 2.5-inch hole on the outside edge of the tunnel, water was able to get into the south tube via the ventilation ducts, the spokesperson said, and leak onto cars passing through.
A video posted by one driver to Facebook showed the leaking water splash across his windshield.
“Tell me why the tunnel is leaking. What’s going on here?” the driver reacted on the video.
As a result of the leak, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority sent out alerts before 1:30 p.m. that all lanes in both tubes of the heavily trafficked tunnel connecting Manhattan and Queens under the East River were “temporarily closed.” It took about an hour and a half before the north tube could reopen to two-way traffic, officials said.
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