Hugh L. Carey (Battery) Tunnel Turns 75

By Y.M. Lowy

The 75th anniversary of the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel was marked on May 25. Opened in 1950 and originally named the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel, it remains the longest continuous underwater vehicular tunnel in North America.

Stretching 1.7 miles beneath the East River, the tunnel connects Lower Manhattan with Brooklyn’s Red Hook neighborhood. Construction began in 1940, but wartime delays pushed completion to the postwar era. When it opened, the toll was 35 cents. Today, it stands at $11.19, or $6.94 with E-ZPass.

In 2012, the tunnel was renamed for Hugh L. Carey, New York’s 51st governor. It has played a major role in moments of both tragedy and resilience. On September 11, 2001, the tunnel was a key route for first responders and recovery teams. It now serves as the starting point for the annual Tunnel to Towers Run, honoring firefighter Stephen Siller, who died after running through the tunnel to reach the Twin Towers.

The tunnel also faced one of its biggest challenges during Superstorm Sandy in 2012. Sixty million gallons of seawater flooded the tubes, but emergency repairs allowed it to reopen in just two weeks. A full restoration followed, including flood protection systems such as massive steel gates at each entrance.

Seventy-five years on, the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel continues to carry tens of thousands of New Yorkers to their destinations daily. Drivers passing through the tunnel can spot special pole signage in the area celebrating this milestone.

celebration flags photos: Dovid Y. Jaroslawicz

history photos: MTA