WATCH: Earth Under Manhattan Goes Kaboom For Final Blast Of East Side Access
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - The MTA hopes to open a new terminal under Grand Central Terminal for the Long Island Rail Road in 2019.
For that to happen, they've had to blast their way though the earth underneath Manhattan.
Well, they've completed their final blasting - after having completed 2,424 blasts - and want the public to see it.
Watch the video below as 200 blast holes loaded with more than 300 pounds of powder are set off. The explosion happens at about 0:40 and opened up an 11-foot wall.
The MTA says over 857,000 cubic yards of rock have been removed to create the new caverns and tunnels under Manhattan.
Now they're ready for the next phase of the project, known as East Side Access. That means building platforms and laying track.
