On October 13, 1927, the Holland Tunnel opened to the public, providing access between lower Manhattan and New Jersey beneath the Hudson River. When the tunnel opened to traffic in 1927, the toll was 50 cents, the trip took eight minutes, and 51,694 vehicles passed through on opening day. The tunnel is named after Clifford Milburn Holland, chief engineer on the project, who died before it was completed.The tunnel runs 8,558 feet from portal to portal on the North tube, and 8,371 feet on the South tube at a height of 12 feet, 6 inches tall. One of the most significant challenges all three chief engineers faced was how to ventilate the 1.6 mile long tunnel.
Story continues below advertisement