Richmond Tunnel

In the 1950s, New York City's Board of Water Supply began making plans to increase the capacity of water supplied to Staten Island from its system of upstate reservoirs, aqueducts, tunnels and water mains. At the time, Staten Island was the only New York City borough without a direct tunnel in the water supply system and had to rely on two siphons under the harbor that connected to trunk water mains in Brooklyn. During times of peak water consumption in Brooklyn, the supply of water through the siphons was reduced or shut down and Staten Island had to rely on water stored in the Silver Lake Reservoir or obtained from artesian wells on the island's South Shore.{{cite news |last=McSheehy |first=S. S. |date=June 18, 1957 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-test-borings-plann/168134629/ |title=Test Borings Planned for Aqueduct Under Bay Direct from Watershed |work=Staten Island Advance |access-date=March 17, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news |date=August 9, 1957 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-pile-drive-sets-st/168134862/ |title=Pile Drive Sets Stage for Island Watershed Link |work=Staten Island Advance |access-date=March 17, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com}} The siphons across the Narrows terminated at the foot of Victory Boulevard in Tompkinsville and at the foot of Vanderbilt Avenue in Clifton. With diameters of {{convert|36|and|42|in|mm}}, the pipes could supply up to {{convert|30|e6USgal|m3}} a day.{{cite news |date=July 11, 1953 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-reservoir-supply-c/168135186/ |title=Reservoir Supply Cut By Feeder Shutdown |work=Staten Island Advance |access-date=March 17, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news |last=MacMaster |first=Frank J. |date=May 20, 1959 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-city-oks-250000/168135753/ |title=City OKs $25,000,000 Water Line under Bay |work=Staten Island Advance |pages=1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-cross-bay-water/168135860/ 9] |access-date=March 17, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com}} The first siphon to Tompkinsville was completed in 1915 and the second siphon to Clifton was added in 1925.{{cite news |last=McSheehy |first=S. S. |date=April 28, 1962 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-tunnel-under-bay-t/168136083/ |title=Tunnel Under Bay to Assure Island of Plenty of Water |work=Staten Island Advance |access-date=March 17, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite web |date=February 28, 2012 |url=http://www.nyc.gov/html/dep/html/news/dep_stories_p3-113.shtml |title=City Siphoned All its Engineering Talent to Get Water to Staten Island |publisher=New York City Department of Environmental Protection |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203102644/http://www.nyc.gov/html/dep/html/news/dep_stories_p3-113.shtml |archive-date=February 3, 2014}}

File:Verrazano-Narrows Bridge Aerial.JPG

In 1957, exploratory borings were made to obtain information on subsurface conditions for a new tunnel under the harbor providing a direct connection to the water supply system. The need for a new water tunnel serving Staten Island also considered the growth in the island's population that could occur as a result of the completion of the proposed Narrows Bridge.{{cite news |date=September 24, 1958 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-big-hike-in-island/168136589/ |title=Big Hike in Island Water Needs Seen |work=Staten Island Advance |access-date=March 17, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com}} The construction of additional siphons across the Narrows had been explored by the Board of Water Supply, but their cost was found to be comparable to that of a tunnel, the latter of which would be better protected against disturbances since it would be located deep within rock.{{Cite news |date=February 19, 1962 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-new-water-tunnel-m/168136957/ |title=New Water Tunnel May Be Help to Brooklyn Also |work=Staten Island Advance |pages=1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-brooklyn-to-get-ai/168137139/ 11] |access-date=March 17, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com}} Damage from a ship's anchor had resulted in a one-month shutdown of the first siphon in 1922 and the second siphon once had to be shut down for several months to repair a corroded joint. Installation of feeder lines to carry water across the Narrows Bridge was also ruled out as being an impractical alternative.

Preliminary approval of $25 million for construction of a new tunnel under the bay designed to supply up {{convert|300|e6USgal|m3}} of water a day was given by the city in 1959. The proposed tunnel would provide a direct connection to City Water Tunnel No. 2 in Brooklyn.{{cite news |last=McSheehy |first=S. S. |date=June 29, 1959 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-to-tunnel-5-miles/168137385/ |title=To Tunnel 5 Miles Under Bay |work=Staten Island Advance |access-date=March 17, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com}} Additional probes of the rock along the proposed route of the tunnel were conducted in 1959 and 1960.{{Cite news |date=September 19, 1959 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-drill-towers-probi/168138177/ |title=Drill Towers Probing Route for Water Tunnel |work=Staten Island Advance |pages=1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-drill-towers-probi/168138373/ 9] |access-date=March 17, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news |last=McSheehy |first=S. S. |date=November 19, 1959 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-engineers-rush-wor/168138504/ |title=Engineers Rush Work For Narrows Pipeline |work=Staten Island Advance |pages=1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-engineers-rush-wor/168138658/ 11] |access-date=March 17, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com}} In April 1960, the Board of Estimate approved $1.4 million in funds for the preparation of plans and surveys for the water tunnel.{{cite news |date=April 29, 1960 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-city-cash-speeds-w/168137675/ |title=City Cash Speeds Water Tunnel |work=Staten Island Advance |access-date=March 17, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com}}

On February 9, 1961, the Board of Estimate approved $21 million in funds for the first phase of the project, which involved sinking shafts in Tompkinsville on Staten Island and Red Hook in Brooklyn and constructing a tunnel between them. Subsequent phases of the project would involve the construction of a pipeline from the Tompkinsville shaft to Silver Lake Park and covered water storage tanks at the park, which would replace the Silver Lake Park Reservoir and turn it into a recreational facility managed by the Parks Department.{{cite news |date=February 10, 1961 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-city-gives-green-l/168137873/ |title=City Gives Green Light To Big Water Tunnel |work=Staten Island Advance |access-date=March 17, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com}} The Board of Water Supply would later refer to the overall project as the "Richmond Project" and the tunnel was named the "Richmond Tunnel" by engineers.{{cite news |last=Devlin |first=John C. |date=February 17, 1964 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1964/02/17/archives/tunnel-construction-site-is-an-eerie-murky-world-tunnelers-work.html |title=Tunnelers Work 1,000 Feet Down |work=The New York Times |access-date=March 17, 2025}} Later that year, a joint venture of Perini Corporation and Morrison–Knudsen submitted the lowest of five bids to construct the first phase of the project involving the tunnel below the harbor.{{cite news |date=November 29, 1961 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-reasonable-bid-f/168134000/ |title='Reasonable' Bid Filed For New Water Tunnel |work=Staten Island Advance |access-date=March 17, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com}} The contract was awarded to the joint venture on December 5, 1961.{{cite web |date=January 1, 1962 |url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015021742948&seq=75 |title=Fifty-Sixth Annual Report of the Board of Water Supply of the City of New York |page=39 |access-date=March 17, 2025 |via=HathiTrust}}

Construction of the tunnel's {{convert|950|ft|m|adj=mid|-deep}} shaft on Staten Island began in January 1962. The shaft was located near the waterfront in Tompkinsville on the south side of the Hannah Street bridge across the Staten Island Railway.{{cite news |date=January 5, 1962 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-engineering-team-p/168139330/ |title=Engineering Team Paves Way For Start of Aqueduct Tunnel |work=Staten Island Advance |access-date=March 17, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com}} A formal groundbreaking ceremony for the tunnel was held on February 20, 1962, at the shaft in Tomkinsville with Deputy Mayor Edward Francis Cavanagh Jr., Staten Island Borough President Albert V. Maniscalco, Board of Water Supply Chairman Arthur C. Ford, and other officials in attendance.{{Cite news |last=McSheehy |first=S. S. |date=February 21, 1962 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-water-tunnel-haile/168139725/ |title=Water Tunnel Hailed as Answer to the Future |work=Staten Island Advance |pages=1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-aqueduct-staggers/168139931/ 63] |access-date=March 17, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com}} Excavation of the shaft reached bedrock at a depth of {{convert|65|ft|m}} in March 1962.{{cite news |date=March 28, 1962 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-tunnel-drillers-ta/168139528/ |title=Tunnel Drillers Tackle 900 Feet of Rock |work=Staten Island Advance |access-date=March 17, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com}}

File:Hoffman Island.jpg

There was a debate over the use of the rock excavated from the tunnel's construction. In April 1962, Councilman Edward V. Curry introduced a resolution in the City Council calling for the excavated materials to be used to repair unimproved roads on Staten Island.{{cite news |date=April 4, 1962 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-water-tunnel-fill/168140196/ |title=Water Tunnel Fill Sought for Roads |work=Staten Island Advance |access-date=March 17, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com}} The following month, Councilmember Eric J. Treulich introduced another resolution in the City Council calling for the rock to be used in fortifying the sea wall at Manhattan Beach in Brooklyn.{{Cite news |date=May 3, 1962 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-brooklyn-hits-snag/168140363/ |title=Brooklyn Hits Snag In Tunnel Rock Grab |work= Staten Island Advance|pages=1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-brooklyn-hits-snag/168140513/ 23] |access-date=March 17, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com}} However, a clause in the tunnel's construction contract gave the city the option to use the rock as fill for a bulkhead to join together Hoffman and Swinburne islands located off South Beach. Linking the two islands was an idea that had been previously proposed; the islands had been purchased from the federal government by Bernard Baruch and deeded to the Parks Department with the intention of creating a larger island for recreational purposes.{{cite news |date=April 11, 1962 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-lab-test-cash-hol/168140680/ |title=Lab Test, Cash Hold Key to Recreation Isle |work=Staten Island Advance |access-date=March 17, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com}} The Board of Estimate approved the purchase of the excavated rock to join the two islands in May 1962.{{cite news |date=May 25, 1962 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-city-oks-funds-to/168140817/ |title=City OKs Funds to Link Islands off South Beach |work=Staten Island Advance |access-date=March 17, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com}} However, later tests showed the quality of the rock as being "poor" and it was instead dumped on the North Shore of Staten Island.{{cite news |last=Whitford |first=James |date=January 22, 1967 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-city-keeps-plans-a/168140986/ |title=City Keeps Plans Alive for Hoffman-Swinburne Link |work=Staten Island Advance |access-date=March 17, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com}}

In June 1962, construction crews had reached a depth of {{convert|80|ft|m}} in the Staten Island shaft and were excavating about {{convert|5|ft|m|spell=in}} of rock per day.{{Cite news |date=June 19, 1962 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-drill-set-to-go-ag/168144868/ |title=Drill Set to Go Again At Water Tunnel Job |work=Staten Island Advance |pages=1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-drill-set-to-go-ag/168144983/ 2] |access-date=March 17, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com}} By November 1962, the Staten Island shaft had been excavated to a depth of {{convert|350|ft|m}} and the Brooklyn shaft had reached a depth of {{convert|100|ft}}, but mechanical problems and water seepage from areas of poor rock at the Staten Island shaft site had resulted in a six-month delay to the construction schedule.{{cite news |last=Wittek |first=Raymond A. |date=November 6, 1962 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-stretch-of-poor-ro/168145089/ |title=Stretch of Poor Rock, Excessive Seepage Delay Water Tunnel |work=Staten Island Advance |access-date=March 17, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com}} In February 1963, construction of the {{convert|18|ft|m|adj=mid|-diameter}} shaft on Staten Island had to be halted when sandhogs encountered a crack in the rock {{convert|488|ft|m}} below the surface and had to use over {{convert|1|e6lb|spell=in }} of cement to seal the crack and prevent water from seeping into the shaft.{{cite news |date=February 14, 1963 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-tunnel-shaft-delay/168145304/ |title=Tunnel Shaft Delayed By Seepage |work=Staten Island Advance |access-date=March 17, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com}} When the Staten Island shaft reached a depth of {{convert|930|ft|m}} in November 1963, sandhogs began enlarging the base of the shaft to provide additional work space to begin construction of the tunnel underneath the bay.{{cite news |date=November 21, 1963 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-water-tunnel-sandh/168145430/ |title=Water Tunnel Sandhogs at 930-ft Level |work=Staten Island Advance |access-date=March 17, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com}}

The contractors decided to use a tunnel boring machine (TBM) to remove rock for the tunnel and obtained exclusive rights to lease the Alkirk Hardrock Tunneler from the Lawrence Machine and Manufacturing Company for a five-year period. Use of the TBM was expected to take about a year to excavate the tunnel—half the amount of time that would be required compared to using conventional drilling and blasting techniques. The TBM was shipped by rail from Seattle and assembled at the base of the shaft site on Staten Island. The Alkirk Hardrock Tunneler had never been used before on a project.{{cite news |date=February 20, 1964 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-mechanical-monster/168144116/ |title=Mechanical Monster Heralds New Era in Hardrock Tunneling |work=Staten Island Advance |access-date=March 17, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com}} A series of breakdowns plagued operation of the TBM. No progress was made on tunnel excavation for a five-month period between March and August and only {{convert|76|ft|m}} of tunnel was dug out by the TBM between August and October. In December 1964, Laborers Local Union No. 147 (the sandhogs union) asked the Board of Water Supply to stop allowing the contractors to use the TBM, alleging that they should not "finance and tolerate the delays involved in experimental work by the contractor."{{cite news |last=Haggerty |first=Alfred G. |date=December 10, 1964 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-experiments-delay/168144266/ |title=Experiments Delay Water Tunnel, Says Union |work=Staten Island Advance |access-date=March 17, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com}} The union also explained their position why the use of the TBM should be stopped in an advertisement placed in the Staten Island Advance.{{cite news |date=December 14, 1964 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-why-is-the-richmon/168144466/ |title=Why Is The Richmond Water Tunnel Taking So Long to Build? |work=Staten Island Advance |access-date=March 17, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com}} After attempting use of the TBM for a total of two years and only excavating about {{convert|600|ft|m}} of rock, the contractors decided to remove the TBM in March 1965 and instead use conventional construction methods.{{Cite news |date=March 11, 1965 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-sandhogs-to-finish/168144607/ |title=Sandhogs to Finish Tunnel |work= Staten Island Advance|pages=1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-sandhogs-taking-ov/168144730/ 2] |access-date=March 17, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com}}

Excavation of the tunnel was completed on December 1, 1966, with a ceremonial blast of dynamite triggered by Staten Island Borough President Robert T. Connor. The entire tunnel had been drilled from the Staten Island shaft due to restrictions at the Brooklyn shaft site that prevented simultaneous digging from both ends.{{Cite news |last=Berlowitz |first=Cy |date=December 2, 1966 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-big-blast-complete/168143738/ |title=Big Blast Completes Tunnel to Brooklyn |work=Staten Island Advance |pages=1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-big-blast-complete/168143928/ 2] |access-date=March 17, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com}} Following the hole through, workers filled pre-stressed forms with cement to create a {{convert|10|ft|m|adj=mid|-diameter}} tube for the length of the excavated tunnel.{{cite news |last=Ledwith |first=George |date=July 16, 1967 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-men-build-concrete/168143536/ |title=Men Build Concrete Floor Far Below Harbor Surface |work=Staten Island Advance |access-date=March 17, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com}} The tunnel runs at a depth of approximately {{convert|900|ft|m}} below the harbor.{{cite news |last=Lawrence |first=Colin |date=June 2010 |title=Tunneling under the gateway to New York Harbor |work=Mining Engineering |volume=62 |issue=6 |pages=T7–T10 |id={{ProQuest|578178872}}}}

Water began flowing through the completed Richmond Tunnel in September 1970, although it would not be operated at full capacity until other parts of the Richmond Project were completed—including the underground water tanks at Silver Lake Park, which were capable of storing {{convert|100|e6USgal|m3}}, and an {{convert|84|in|m|adj=on}} supply line running from a distribution chamber in Tompkinsville to the new underground storage tanks.{{Cite news |last=McSheehy |first=S. S. |date=September 30, 1970 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-new-water-line-is/168142108/ |title=New water line is opened |work=Staten Island Advance |pages=1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-silver-lake-draws/168142271/ 9] |access-date=March 17, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com}}

File:Silver Lake (aerial view of reservoir and surrounding area) (NYPL b15279351-104842).tiff

The use of the existing siphons under the Narrows was discontinued after the Richmond Project was completed, but they were retained as a backup in case they were needed in an emergency. The Silver Lake Reservoir was decommissioned after the completion of the underground storage tanks below the park, which were placed into operation in July 1971.{{cite news |date=July 16, 1971 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-silver-lake-storag/168142780/ |title=Silver Lake storage tanks being tested |work=Staten Island Advance |access-date=March 17, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite web |date=January 1, 1972 |url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uva.x004724085&seq=13

|title=Sixty-Sixth Annual Report of the Board of Water Supply of the City of New York |page=1 |access-date=March 17, 2025 |via=HathiTrust}}{{Cite news |last=Azzara |first=Michael |date=July 19, 1973 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-new-tunnel-to-aid/168143065/ |title=New tunnel to aid Island water supply |work=Staten Island Advance |pages=1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-new-tunnel-to-buil/168143145/ 4] |access-date=March 17, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com}} The water tanks at Silver Lake Park were the largest underground storage tanks in the world.{{Cite news |last=McSheehy |first=S. S. |date=July 15, 1971 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-island-water-suppl/168141637/ |title=Island water supply: Full tap by August |work=Staten Island Advance |pages=1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-island-water-suppl/168141797/ 4] |access-date=March 17, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com}} Unlike the surface reservoir, the underground tanks were protected from pollution caused by air and sea gulls. They were also located {{convert|50|ft|m}} higher in elevation compared to Silver Lake Reservoir, which provided increased water pressure to Staten Island.{{Cite news |last=Scullin |first=John Jr. |date=January 9, 1968 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-silver-lake-water/168141288/ |title=Silver Lake Water Tank Will Lift Island Water Pressure |work=Staten Island Advance |pages=1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-silver-lake-storag/168141454/ 3] |access-date=March 17, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com}}

In the future, the Richmond Tunnel will be connected to City Water Tunnel No. 3. When the Brooklyn and Queens section of City Water Tunnel No. 3 is placed into service (part of Stage Two of the project), it will be able to supply water to the Richmond Tunnel. The remaining work on Stage Two of the project involves the completion of two deep shafts, which are expected to be completed in 2032.{{cite web |last=Cohen |first=Michelle |date=January 23, 2017 |url=https://www.6sqft.com/de-blasio-to-allocate-300-million-and-accelerate-construction-of-third-nyc-water-tunnel/ |title=De Blasio to allocate $300 million and accelerate construction of third NYC water tunnel |website=6sqft |access-date=March 17, 2025}}{{cite news |last=Kensinger |first=Nathan |date=April 22, 2021 |url=https://gothamist.com/news/nycs-giant-water-tunnel-begins-work-on-final-shafts-following-50-years-of-construction |title=NYC's Giant Water Tunnel Begins Work On Final Shafts, Following 50 Years Of Construction |work=Gothamist |access-date=March 17, 2025}}{{cite web |title=Commissioner's Corner |url=https://medium.com/@nycwater/commissioners-corner-b1889abe4e5e |date=September 13, 2022 |publisher=New York City Department of Environmental Protection |access-date=March 17, 2025}}

The original siphons under the Narrows, which later served as a backup to the Richmond Tunnel, were subsequently replaced by a newer siphon to accommodate a harbor deepening project; this dredged the Anchorage Channel through the Narrows to a depth of {{convert|50|ft|m}}, allowing the Port of New York and New Jersey to accommodate larger, "post-Panamax" container ships.{{cite news |last=Sherry |first=Virginia N. |date=June 3, 2015 |url=https://www.silive.com/northshore/2015/06/post_139.html |title=Excavation completed for $250M Staten Island-Brooklyn water tunnel |work=Staten Island Advance |access-date=March 17, 2025}} Construction of the new siphon began in 2011 and involved the use of a TBM to excavate the tunnel. The project was delayed for an 18-month period as a result of Hurricane Sandy, which flooded the shaft and the tunnel with sea water. The new water tunnel was activated in 2016.{{cite news |last=Sanders |first=Anna |date=October 29, 2016 |url=https://www.silive.com/news/2016/10/staten_island_water_tunnel.html |title=New $250M water tunnel delayed by Sandy to be activated Saturday |work=Staten Island Advance |access-date=March 17, 2025}}

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Category:1970 establishments in New York City

Category:Staten Island

Category:Tunnels in New York City

Category:Water infrastructure of New York City

Category:Water tunnels in the United States