History
The underpass started construction in 1949 and opened to the public on April 10, 1951. The underpass runs underneath the Battery, connecting the West Side Highway to the South Street Viaduct with two lanes of traffic in each direction. The project was completed shortly after the opening of the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel in 1950, and provides direct access between the West Side Highway and FDR Drive. In 2005, during the reconstruction of NY 9A, the western end of the Battery Park Underpass was extended to the north by about to provide a U-turn lane and amenities for pedestrians and bicyclists. During Hurricane Sandy, the tunnel was filled completely with seawater and required major repairs.Plans for extension
There have been three proposals to extend the tunnel north on the FDR Drive side. *In 1971, it was suggested that the South Street Viaduct be turned into a tunnel, essentially extending the underpass north to the Brooklyn Bridge *In 2002, the Downtown Alliance, the local business improvement district, called for a 350-foot (105 m) extension to the underpass to create a plaza in front of the Battery Maritime Building. The estimated cost was $70 million. *In 2005, Mayor Michael Bloomberg also called for an extension of the underpass near the Battery Maritime Building as part of a plan to rehabilitate the South Street Viaduct.References
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