Water main break shuts down Queens-Midtown Tunnel: MTA
NEW YORK (PIX11) – A "water condition" temporarily closed the Queens-Midtown Tunnel Wednesday afternoon, an MTA spokesperson said.
The incident occurred in the south tube on the Queens side of the tunnel, MTA officials said. The MTA would not provide additional details regarding the nature of the water condition or where the water was originating from.
“Buses that normally use this tunnel are detoured, and drivers should seek an alternate route. Local buses on the east side of Manhattan are also delayed because of heavy traffic,” the MTA said.
The tunnel was closed to all Manhattan-bound and Queens-bound traffic for about 45 minutes, officials said. One tube has since reopened, with one traffic lane operating in each direction, an MTA spokesperson said.
A spokesperson for the New York City Department of Environmental Protection said the incident does not involve DEP infrastructure.
The Mayor's Office did not immediately respond to PIX11's request for additional information.
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Matthew Euzarraga is a multimedia journalist from El Paso, Texas. He has covered local news and LGBTQIA topics in the New York City Metro area since 2021. He joined the PIX11 Digital team in 2023. You can see more of his work here.