Navigating Grand Central Station just got a little easier now that a new passageway to the 7 line has been completed and opened, MTA officials announced on Tuesday.
The newly unveiled passageway provides a direct connection between the Flushing, Queens, 7 train and the 4, 5 and 6 lines, making it easier for riders to transfer between trains.
“We’re standing in a brand-new connection to the 7 line at Grand Central Station,” MTA chair and CEO Janno Lieber said at the opening event on Feb. 25. “This area didn’t exist a year ago.”
Construction teams built a new staircase for the Flushing Line platform. They widened existing staircases by 25% to connect the Lexington Passageway to the existing passageway, all in an effort to improve customer flow.
Not one service disruption connected to project
Building the new corridor was no easy task. The work entailed blasting through 1,000 tons of rock and dirt down a 55-foot shaft and 140 feet across bulky Manhattan bedrock.
Perhaps the most impressive part of the project is that it was done without any disruption to train service.
Lieber explained that the technique involved “controlled, low-velocity explosions,” which had never been used in subways before.
“That enabled us to keep all of the services in Grand Central Station operating while this was going on,” he said.
The completely new passageway to the platform includes wider staircases and, of course, a new look.
“Connecting the 7 Line and the 4, 5 and 6—two of our busiest lines in the station — is a huge step forward for riders who are looking for rides that aren’t just reliable and fast, but making sure all their connections are smooth and seamless,” Lieber said.
That “seamless” ride will likely help the 480,000 commuters who traverse Grand Central Station, especially the 150,000 who make connections between the lines each day.
The passageway project is part of the larger, ongoing 42nd Street/Grand Central Circulation Improvement Project. Improvements will include eight new escalators, retail upgrades and state-of-good-repair work.
Gov. Kathy Hochul highlighted the many benefits of the project.
“New York is home to an incredibly advanced and innovative transit system — and we’re always looking to push the bounds even further,” she said. “The new passageway will improve the connectivity and flow of traffic through Grand Central, and I am dedicated to bettering our riders’ transit experience and keeping New York moving.”
Lieber said the project was completed “on schedule and under budget.”
He also explained that the project was made possible by the East Midtown Rezoning that was adopted by the NYC Council, which allowed property rent revenues to fund transit improvements.
