Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel reopens to cars

November 13, 2012 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

Tunnel opens during rush hours, construction continues

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At 4 p.m. Tuesday, the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel, also known as the Gov. Hugh L. Carey tunnel, reopened for cars traveling in peak directions during rush hours.

The eastern tube, which usually carries Manhattan-bound traffic at all times, will be open for Manhattan-bound cars and buses from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., and for Brooklyn-bound cars and buses from 3 to 7 p.m.

The expanded travel option will be available in one lane of the eastern tube, while the other lane will remain dedicated for express buses.

The western tube remains closed for extensive repairs by Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Bridges and Tunnels.

The tunnel is a major automotive link in the region, and connects Brooklyn to Manhattan under the mouth of the East River. While, unlike the East River bridges, drivers must pay a toll to go through the tunnel, the ride is smoother and frequently faster.

“While crews continue to work around the clock to repair the extensive damage that Hurricane Sandy inflicted on the Carey Tunnel, we must do everything we can to reduce inconveniences for our commuters driving in and out of Manhattan,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.

The tunnel was flooded with an estimated 43 million gallons of corrosive, debris-laden seawater in each of its two tubes, causing wide-ranging damage to the tunnel’s electrical, lighting, communications, surveillance and ventilation systems.

The Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel is the longest vehicular under-river crossing in North America.