Editing Grand Central Terminal (section)

==== Grand Central North ====
{{mapframe
|text=Interactive map: Grand Central North tunnels and entrances<br /><div align="left" style="font-size:88%;">{{colorbull|#f00}} Northwest Passage<br />{{colorbull|#ffb732}} Northeast Passage<br />{{colorbull|#0c0}} 45th Street Cross-Passage<br />{{colorbull|#00c}} 47th Street Cross-Passage<br />{{colorbull|#454545}} Headhouse and train shed</div>
|type=line|frame=y|zoom=15
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|frame-width=230|frame-height=230|frame-lat=40.7552|frame-long=-73.9754
|raw={{Wikipedia:Map data/Wikipedia KML/Grand Central Terminal}}
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Grand Central North is a network of four tunnels that allow people to walk between the station building (which sits between 42nd and 44th Street) and exits at 45th, 46th, 47th, and 48th Street.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/08/19/nyregion/passageway-easing-exit-is-opened-at-terminal.html|title=Passageway Easing Exit Is Opened At Terminal|last=Finkelstein|first=Katherine E.|date=August 19, 1999|newspaper=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331|access-date=July 2, 2011|archive-date=May 1, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130501033206/http://www.nytimes.com/1999/08/19/nyregion/passageway-easing-exit-is-opened-at-terminal.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The {{convert|1000|ft|adj=on}} Northwest Passage and {{convert|1200|ft|adj=on}} Northeast Passage run parallel to the tracks on the upper level, while two shorter cross-passages run perpendicular to the tracks.<ref name="Shorter"/><ref name="Ames 1999" /> The 47th Street cross-passage runs between the upper and lower tracks, {{convert|30|ft|m}} below street level; it provides access to upper-level tracks. The 45th Street cross-passage runs under the lower tracks, {{convert|50|ft|m}} below street level. Converted from a corridor built to transport luggage and mail,<ref name="Ames 1999" /> it provides access to lower-level tracks. The cross-passages are connected to the platforms via 37 stairs, six elevators, and five escalators.<ref name=n80839684/>

[[File:Grand Central 45th St.jpg|thumb|45th Street cross-passage]]
The tunnels' street-level entrances, each enclosed by a freestanding glass structure,<ref name="Ames 1999" /> sit at the northeast corner of East 47th Street and [[Madison Avenue]] (Northwest Passage), the northeast corner of East 48th Street and [[Park Avenue]] (Northeast Passage), in the two pedestrian walkways underneath the [[Helmsley Building]] between 45th and 46th streets, and (since 2012) on the south side of 47th Street between Park and Lexington avenues.<ref>{{cite press release|title=New Entrance to the Grand Central North Being Built On 47th Street Between Park and Lexington Avenues|date=January 11, 2010|publisher=Metro-North Railroad|url=http://www.mta.info/press-release/metro-north/new-entrance-grand-central-north-being-built-47th-street-between-park-and|access-date=June 29, 2010|archive-date=October 20, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141020202938/http://www.mta.info/press-release/metro-north/new-entrance-grand-central-north-being-built-47th-street-between-park-and|url-status=live}}</ref> Pedestrians can also take an elevator to the 47th Street passage from the north side of East 47th Street, between Madison and Vanderbilt avenues; this entrance adjoined the former [[270 Park Avenue (1960–2021)|270 Park Avenue]].<ref>{{cite sign|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/brianweinberg/8902049267/|title=Map of Grand Central North|date=December 6, 2018|publisher=Metropolitan Transportation Authority|access-date=December 6, 2018|medium=brochure (scan)|via=Brian Weinberg, from Flickr|archive-date=August 2, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200802090902/https://www.flickr.com/photos/brianweinberg/8902049267/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Proposals for these tunnels had been discussed since at least the 1970s. The MTA approved preliminary plans in 1983,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/04/30/nyregion/more-exits-at-grand-central-planned-to-ease-bottleneck.html|title=More Exits at Grand Central Planned to Ease Bottleneck|last=Joyce|first=Fay S.|date=April 30, 1983|website=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331|access-date=December 24, 2018|archive-date=December 25, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225125953/https://www.nytimes.com/1983/04/30/nyregion/more-exits-at-grand-central-planned-to-ease-bottleneck.html|url-status=live}}</ref> gave final approval in 1991,<ref name="WPJournalNews-NoLight-1999" /> and began construction in 1994.<ref name="Shorter"/> Dubbed the North End Access Project, the work was to be completed in 1997 at a cost of $64.5 million,<ref name="WPJournalNews-NoLight-1999" /> but it was slowed by the incomplete nature of the building's original blueprints and by previously undiscovered groundwater beneath East 45th Street.<ref name="Shorter"/> During construction, [[MTA Arts & Design]] mosaics were installed; each work was part of ''[[Grand Central Terminal art#As Above, So Below|As Above, So Below]]'', by Brooklyn artist [[Ellen Driscoll]].<ref name="Shorter"/> The passageways opened on August 18, 1999, at a final cost of $75 million.<ref name="Shorter"/>

In spring 2000, construction began on a project to enclose the Northeast and Northwest passages with ceilings and walls. Work on each passage was expected to take 7.5 months, with the entire project wrapping up by summer 2001. As part of the project, the walls of the passages were covered with glazed [[terrazzo]]; the Northeast Passage's walls have blue-green accents while the Northwest Passage's walls have red ones. The ceilings are {{convert|8|to|10|ft}} high; the cross-passages' ceilings are blue-green, the same color as the Main Concourse, and have recessed lights arranged to resemble the Main Concourse's constellations. The passages were to be heated in winter and ventilated.<ref>{{cite web | title=MTA Metro-North Railroad Service Updates | publisher=Metropolitan Transportation Authority | url=http://www.mta.nyc.ny.us:80/mnr/html/serviceupdates.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000510224520/http://www.mta.nyc.ny.us/mnr/html/serviceupdates.htm | archive-date=May 10, 2000 | url-status=dead | access-date=July 5, 2021 }}</ref> Originally, Grand Central North had no restrooms or air-conditioning.<ref name=n80839684/>

The entrances to Grand Central North were originally open from 6:30&nbsp;a.m. to 9:30&nbsp;p.m. Monday through Friday. During weekends and holidays, the 47th and 48th Street entrances were open from 9:00&nbsp;a.m. to 9:30&nbsp;p.m., while the two entrances to the Helmsley Building were closed.<ref name=n80839684>{{Cite news|date=August 19, 1999|title=Grand Central tunnels ease commuting|pages=4A|work=Poughkeepsie Journal|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/80839684/grand-central-tunnels-ease-commuting/|access-date=July 5, 2021|archive-date=July 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709182942/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/80839684/grand-central-tunnels-ease-commuting/|url-status=live}}</ref> Five years after they opened, the passageways were used by about 30,000 people on a typical weekday.<ref name="mta-budget-2005" /> But they served only about 6,000 people on a typical weekend, so the MTA proposed to close them on weekends to save money as part of the 2005–2008 Financial Plan<!-- starting in January 2005-->.<ref name=mta-budget-2005>{{cite web|url=http://web.mta.info/mta/budget/pdf/2-mnr.pdf|title=MTA 2005 Preliminary Budget (7–29–04) – Volume 2 – MNR|publisher=Metropolitan Transportation Authority|access-date=February 3, 2014|page=43|archive-date=September 26, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140926003905/http://web.mta.info/mta/budget/pdf/2-mnr.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=December 17, 2004|title=Drivers, riders to pay more in '05|pages=1A, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/80840163/railroad-fares/ 2A]|work=The Journal News|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/80840047/drivers-riders-to-pay-more-in-05/|access-date=July 5, 2021|archive-date=July 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709183702/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/80840047/drivers-riders-to-pay-more-in-05/|url-status=live}}</ref> Since summer 2006, Grand Central North has been closed on weekends.<ref name="AutoVN-40">{{cite web|url=http://web.mta.info/mnr/html/serviceupdates.htm#322|title=MTA Metro-North Railroad|publisher=Metropolitan Transportation Authority|access-date=February 3, 2014|archive-date=February 12, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140212210257/http://web.mta.info/mnr/html/serviceupdates.htm?#322|url-status=live}}</ref>

As a precaution during the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], Grand Central North closed on March 26, 2020.<ref>{{cite web | last=Shay | first=Jim | title=Metro-North announces details of reduced service | website=Connecticut Post | date=March 26, 2020 | url=https://www.ctpost.com/news/coronavirus/article/Metro-North-announces-details-of-reduced-service-15158070.php | access-date=December 22, 2024}}</ref> It reopened in September of that year with hours from 6:30 to 10 a.m. and 4 to 7 p.m.<ref>{{Cite web |year=2020 |title=Grand Central Terminal North End Access: Adjusted Hours, Effective Monday, Sept. 28 |url=http://web.mta.info/mnr/html/GCT_NorthEndAccess.htm |access-date=January 24, 2022 |website=mta.info |publisher=Metropolitan Transportation Authority |archive-date=January 30, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220130033009/http://web.mta.info/mnr/html/GCT_NorthEndAccess.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2021, its original hours were restored.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 2021 |title=Mileposts |url=https://new.mta.info/document/55311 |access-date=January 24, 2022 |website=mta.info |publisher=Metropolitan Transportation Authority |archive-date=October 14, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211014125706/https://new.mta.info/document/55311 |url-status=live }}</ref> On November 1, 2021, the entrance to the northeastern corner of Madison Avenue and 47th Street was "closed long-term to accommodate the construction of [[270 Park Avenue (2021–present)|270 Park Avenue]]".<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-10-28 |title=Grand Central Terminal Entrance Closing Nov. 1 |url=https://new2stg.mta.info/article/grand-central-terminal-entrance-closed-47th-st-madison-ave |access-date=2023-01-24 |website=mta.info |publisher=Metropolitan Transportation Authority |language=en |archive-date=January 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230124204107/https://new2stg.mta.info/article/grand-central-terminal-entrance-closed-47th-st-madison-ave |url-status=live }}</ref> After Grand Central Madison begins full service, Grand Central North will be open from 5:30&nbsp;a.m. until 2 a.m., seven days a week.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 24, 2023 |title=Everything you need to know about Grand Central Madison |url=https://new.mta.info/agency/long-island-rail-road/grand-central-madison-guide |access-date=January 24, 2023 |website=mta.info |publisher=Metropolitan Transportation Authority |language=en |archive-date=January 26, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230126202112/https://new.mta.info/agency/long-island-rail-road/grand-central-madison-guide |url-status=live }}</ref>