Editing 63rd Street lines (section)

===Early plans===
In February 1963, the [[New York City Transit Authority]] (NYCTA) proposed a two-track East River subway tunnel under 76th Street with unspecified connections to the rest of the transit network, at a cost of $139 million. In a May 2, 1963, report, the proposed site of the tunnel was switched to 59th Street. On May 24, [[Robert F. Wagner, Jr.|Mayor Wagner]] suggested that a tunnel around 61st Street "be built with all deliberate speed".<ref>{{cite news |title=61st St. Tunnel to Queens Sped |first=Charles G. |last=Bennett |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1963/05/25/90539782.pdf |newspaper=The New York Times |date=May 25, 1963 |page=1 |access-date=October 20, 2011 |archive-date=May 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220507171131/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1963/05/25/90539782.html?pdf_redirect=true&site=false |url-status=live }}</ref> On October 17, 1963, the [[New York City Board of Estimate|Board of Estimate]] approved a new East River tunnel sited at 64th Street, noting that it would cost $30 million and take seven years to build. The 64th Street site was said to be $5.3 million less expensive, "because of easier grades and smaller curves".<ref>{{cite news |title=Subway Tunnel to Queens Voted |first=Charles G. |last=Bennett |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1963/10/18/94108238.pdf |newspaper=The New York Times |date=October 18, 1963 |page=1 |access-date=October 20, 2011 |archive-date=September 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230930165921/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1963/10/18/94108238.html?pdf_redirect=true&site=false |url-status=live }}</ref>

The lack of specificity about how the tunnel would be used was criticized at an early date. In December 1964, the Citizens Budget Committee said that the project, now shifted to 63rd Street, was "leading nowhere-to-nowhere". The Committee went on to propose three connections that were eventually adopted (connections to the [[BMT Broadway Line]] and [[IND Sixth Avenue Line]], both at 57th Street, and to the [[IND Queens Boulevard Line]] near Queens Plaza), and one that was not adopted (a connection to the [[IRT Lexington Avenue Line]]).<ref>{{cite news |title=Proposed Subway Tube Assailed As 'Nowhere-to-Nowhere' Link |first=Clayton |last=Knowles |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1964/12/16/100018694.pdf |newspaper=The New York Times |date=December 16, 1964 |page=33 |access-date=October 20, 2011 |archive-date=April 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240403161754/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1964/12/16/100018694.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

The route was changed to 63rd Street because officials at [[Rockefeller University|Rockefeller Institute]] at 64th Street feared that heavy construction and later train movements so close to the institute's buildings might have adversely affected delicate instruments at the Institute and change the accuracy of the research being conducted.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Annual Report 1964–1965|publisher=New York City Transit Authority|year=1965}}</ref> The Board of Estimate approved the revised 63rd Street route on January 14, 1965, at a budget of $28.1 million and a four-year timetable, with the connections to the rest of the transit network awaiting a study that was then scheduled for completion in mid-1966. ''[[The New York Times]]'' noted that "A variety of possible connections...are under study," including possible new lines under Madison and Second Avenues. The NYCTA's chairman, Joseph E. O'Grady, said that the tunnel and the subway connections would eventually be completed at about the same time, "since construction of the tunnel takes at least a year longer than the connections".<ref>{{cite news |title=63d Street Tube Approved By City; Hearing Heated – Transit Authority Is Backed Unanimously – O'Grady Rejects Further Study |first=Charles G. |last=Bennett |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1965/01/15/101521638.pdf |newspaper=The New York Times |date=January 15, 1965 |page=1 |access-date=October 20, 2011 |archive-date=May 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220507171132/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1965/01/15/101521638.html?pdf_redirect=true&site=false |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 1966, Mayor [[John Lindsay]] gave his approval for the 63rd Street option, preferring it over the 61st Street option. Lindsay's administration proposed a new station at 63rd Street to connect with the [[Lexington Avenue/59th Street (New York City Subway)|Lexington Avenue/59th Street]] station via an underground [[Arcade (architecture)|arcade]] surrounded by retail areas.<ref name=":5">{{Cite news|url=http://fultonhistory.com/Newspaper%2014/Long%20Island%20City%20NY%20Star%20Journal/Long%20Island%20City%20NY%20Star%20Journal%201966/Long%20Island%20City%20NY%20Star%20Journal%201966%20-%202168.pdf|title=Lindsay Likes 63rd St. Tunnel|last=Amon|first=Robert|date=March 8, 1966|via=fultonhistory.com|work=Long Island Star-Journal|access-date=July 25, 2016|archive-date=October 22, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231022091111/https://fultonhistory.com/Newspaper%2014/Long%20Island%20City%20NY%20Star%20Journal/Long%20Island%20City%20NY%20Star%20Journal%201966/Long%20Island%20City%20NY%20Star%20Journal%201966%20-%202168.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> Communities along the route of the proposed crosstown tunnel disagreed on the exact routing. Advocacy groups such as the Citizens Budget Commission, [[Citizens Union]], and the [[Commerce and Industry Association]] preferred a 61st Street routing for easier interchange with the Lexington Avenue/59th Street station. Queens civic leaders supported the 63rd Street proposal, saying that a transfer station at 61st Street would worsen congestion on the already busy Lexington Avenue Line.<ref name=":5" />

A third track was added to the plans for the tunnel in April 1966. The track would serve [[Long Island Rail Road]] (LIRR) trains to east Midtown, alleviating train traffic into [[Pennsylvania Station (New York City)|Pennsylvania Station]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1966/04/28/79289974.pdf|title=L.I.R.R. Will Run In Queens Tunnel – 3d Track in 63d St. Tube to Provide East Side Outlet|date=April 28, 1966|work=The New York Times|access-date=February 1, 2018|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=May 7, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220507171133/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1966/04/28/79289974.html?pdf_redirect=true&site=false|url-status=live}}</ref> That August, a fourth track was added to the plans after it was determined that LIRR trains would be too large to run on subway tracks. This amendment increased the number of LIRR tracks to two, and provided dedicated tracks for the LIRR and the subway.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1966/08/12/82878800.pdf|title=Tunnel From Queens to 63d St. To Have 4 Tracks Instead of 3|date=August 12, 1966|work=The New York Times|access-date=February 1, 2018|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=May 7, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220507171154/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1966/08/12/82878800.html?pdf_redirect=true&site=false|url-status=live}}</ref>

In November 1967, voters approved a $2.5 billion transportation bond issue, and in early 1968, under the [[Program for Action]], officials provided detailed plans for how it would be used. Among many other projects, the proposal included:<ref>{{cite news |title=$2.9-Billion Transit Plan for New York Area Links Subways, Rails, Airport |first=Richard |last=Witkin |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1968/02/29/77174644.pdf |newspaper=The New York Times |date=February 29, 1968 |page=1 |access-date=October 20, 2011 |archive-date=May 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220507171133/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1968/02/29/77174644.html?pdf_redirect=true&site=false |url-status=live }}</ref>

* Three portions of a new 63rd Street–Southeast Queens line. This included a bi-level 63rd Street tunnel for both subway and Long Island Rail Road service; a super-express bypass for the IND Queens Boulevard Line running along the [[Main Line (Long Island Rail Road)|LIRR Main Line]] between [[Northern Boulevard]] and [[Forest Hills–71st Avenue (IND Queens Boulevard Line)|Forest Hills–71st Avenue]]; and an IND Queens Boulevard branch line running along the LIRR Atlantic Branch right-of-way.
* A new Long Island Expressway line for northeastern Queens, running to [[Queens College]] and [[Kissena Boulevard]] with a later extension to [[Springfield Boulevard]]
* A new [[Archer Avenue Lines|Archer Avenue subway line]] for eastern Queens, running to 188th Street in [[Hollis, Queens|Hollis]]
* A [[Second Avenue Subway]] line, with multiple connections to the 63rd Street line

This proposal, with some modifications, received approval from the Board of Estimate on September 21, 1968.<ref>{{cite news |title=City Approves 2d Ave. Subway And 11 Other New Transit Lines |first=Seth S. |last=King |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1968/09/21/76882207.pdf |newspaper=The New York Times |date=September 21, 1968 |page=1 |access-date=October 20, 2011 |archive-date=April 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240403161754/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1968/09/21/76882207.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>