East Side Access project As part of the East Side Access project to the
new LIRR terminal at
Grand Central Terminal (opened January 25, 2023), some LIRR trains diverge from the
main line and travel through
a tunnel under the yard. The project would also create a new station at Queens Boulevard, named
Sunnyside.
Harold Interlocking In May 2011, a $294.7 million federal grant was awarded to address congestion at Harold Interlocking, the United States' busiest
rail junction, which is part of the yard. The work will allow for dedicated tracks to the
Hell Gate Line right of way for Amtrak trains arriving from or bound for
New England, thus avoiding NJT and LIRR traffic. Some of the interlocking improvement projects are complete as of early 2023. Other projects are ongoing and will be complete by late 2025.
Housing development In 2017 it was announced that the city would begin a feasibility study into the construction of 21,000 to 31,000 units of housing on top of the rail yard. The project, which would be similar to the
Hudson Yards development over
West Side Yard, has stoked public controversy over the affordability of units, pedestrian and road connections, open space, and a nearby
Superfund site. In September 2019, a public meeting was interrupted by protestors chanting, "We Don't Trust this Process!" In early 2020, Amtrak and the city government published a master plan. The plan called for building a deck over Sunnyside Yard and constructing 12,000 housing units, all of which would be
affordable housing, as well as of parks and public plazas. In February 2026, Mayor
Zohran Mamdani revived the proposal, announcing a federal partnership within 24 hours of meeting with President
Donald Trump in Washington, D.C. The plan called for roughly $21 billion to build a deck over the rail yard and construct 12,000 new homes, alongside parks and infrastructure. A public engagement session held in April 2026 drew nearly 200 residents which reflected an even split between people who expressed strong or moderate support, those who are opposed, and those who said they needed more information. ==See also==