Port Authority pilots to reclaim and reuse historic bricks from Lincoln Tunnel Retaining Wall deconstruction

The Port Authority is deconstructing the Lincoln Tunnel’s retaining walls,originally built between 1937 and 1945, to make way for new ramps serving the future Midtown Bus Terminal. Rather than crushing these historic bricks for use as fill, the Port Authority is partnering with Orbit, a marketplace for the circular construction sector, and Chief Bricks, specialists in salvaged materials, on an unpaid pilot to preserve and recirculate these bricks back into the local economy.

This deconstruction and material reuse pilot is being conducted through the Transit Tech Lab, a public-private partnership between the Partnership Fund for New York City and regional transit agencies. The pilot will evaluate the financial and embodied carbon savings of brick salvage and reuse compared with conventional demolition, while also testing market demand for historic reclaimed materials.

We expect the bricks will be available for delivery in late summer 2026. Prospective buyers can learn more and express interest in available bricks here: Lincoln Tunnel bricks.