The Holland Tunnel

The Holland Tunnel was constructed under the joint supervision of the New York State Bridge and Tunnel Commission and the New Jersey Interstate Bridge and Tunnel Commission. Ground was broken on October 12, 1920, the tunnel opened on November 12, 1927, and it was completed in 1929. The chief engineers were Clifford M. Holland from 1919 to 1924, Milton H. Freeman from 1924 to 1925, and Ole Singstad from 1925 to 1929. The work also involved a board of consulting engineers and consultants, principal engineering assistants, and principal contractors. The north tunnel carried westbound traffic and had a length of 9250 feet, while the south tunnel carried eastbound traffic and had a length of 9277 feet. The distance between portals was 8957 feet for the north tunnel and 8971 feet for the south tunnel. The under-river portion was 5480 feet long, and the distance between river shafts was 3374 feet. The roadways had a minimum width of 20 feet and a headroom of 13 feet 6 inches. The external diameter of the tunnel was 29 feet 6 inches and 30 feet 4 inches. The maximum grade was 3.54 percent, the maximum down grade was 4.06 percent, and the maximum depth from mean high water to the top of the tunnel was 72 feet. The cast iron and steel tunnel lining weighed 114,000 tons, and the tunnel was ventilated by 84 fans in four ventilation buildings, with a normal maximum ventilation of 3,750,000 cubic feet of fresh air per minute.

New York, New York · United States