Next Stop, Grand Central Terminal, as MTA Lowers
Tunnel Boring Machine

I was just going by what was being said at the site, but the disposal of the debris is up to the contractor and the landfill option was mentioned.

QUOTE: "One thing we don’t know is where the material dug out will go, since that is up to the contractor. It is a pretty safe bet that it won’t be dumped into the Hudson or East Rivers to create more land for Manhattan as was done with part subway tunneling (the debris will probably wind up in a landfill instead)."

No way the debris will end up in a land fill. That ground earth will most likely be sold as anything from fill, to topsoil.

Anyone who needed to be told, at the safety briefing, not to fall into the big hole should go ahead and fall into the big hole as far as I'm concerned.

Great photos Toby, kudos to you.

they should have hired Bash and the drill from Ocean's Thirteen... would have got the job done in half the time and without using any union labor.

I'm delighted to these projects moving. Seems incredibly wasteful to bury the boring machines though. Even selling for scrap beats digging a machine grave and walling it in.

From Jen Chung: Well, this project got a federal boost first because it serves state and airport issues - and because Pataki was behind it. Don't worry, I think the MTA is committed to the SAS. For now, at least.

The Second Ave Subway is a far more technically challenging endeavor (Not to mention ALOT more expensive) than this project. I'm not surprised how easy this project went through.

We're going to need a SAS after this is completed. The 6 will be even more miserable with the addition of LIRR commuters to the Grand Central fray.

It certainly is shameless that this project is well underway while the SAS is still spinning its wheels - for how many years now?

With a little bit of luck our great-great-great grandchildren might be able to ride through the East Side Access tunnel on its opening day.