The Queens–Midtown Tunnel is one of New York City’s most important river crossings, linking Queens and Manhattan and carrying hundreds of thousands of vehicles each day. To keep this critical asset operating safely and reliably for the long term, MTA C&D advanced a design–build program to modernize the tunnel’s refueling infrastructure and upgrade aging electrical systems at the Queens Service Building in Long Island City.

ELECSYS served as the electrical design subconsultant, supporting both the relocation of the existing refueling station and the replacement of the building’s main electrical switchgear. The work improved day-to-day operational efficiency while strengthening resilience to storms and flooding.

On the refueling side, the project decommissioned and removed existing fueling systems and associated equipment, addressed potentially contaminated soils, and constructed a new refueling facility at Borden Avenue. The new site included underground fuel storage tanks, diesel and gasoline dispensers, integrated fire-suppression and monitoring systems, and a pre-engineered structure housing electrical equipment and storage. ELECSYS developed power distribution, controls, and lighting to support safe, efficient refueling for operations vehicles.

At the Queens Service Building, the project replaced legacy switchgear and relocated Con Edison electrical services to elevate critical equipment above the flood line. ELECSYS redesigned power distribution, coordinated new switchgear lineups with existing systems, and supported integration with building loads, tunnel systems, and emergency power.

Because tunnel operations had to continue throughout construction, ELECSYS supported complex phasing and temporary-power strategies, including staged cutovers, temporary feeds, and carefully planned shutdown windows. Additional improvements included LED lighting upgrades, CCTV and access control enhancements, and support for SCADA interfaces.