▁tunnel ▁in ▁the ▁world . ▁ ▁Meanwhile , ▁the ▁John ▁Sh ield s ▁Const ruction ▁Company ▁had ▁begun ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 5 ▁to ▁bore ▁through ▁Ber gen ▁Hill , ▁the ▁lower ▁Hudson ▁Pal is ades ; ▁William ▁Brad ley ▁took ▁over ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 6 ▁and ▁the ▁t unn els ▁to ▁the ▁H ack ens ack ▁M ead ows ▁were ▁completed ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 9 0 8 . ▁ ▁Open ing ▁and ▁use ▁▁ ▁The ▁t unn els ▁opened ▁November ▁ 2 7 , ▁ 1 9 1 0 , ▁when ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁T unnel ▁Ext ension ▁to ▁New ▁York ▁P enn ▁Station ▁opened . ▁Until ▁then , ▁PR R ▁trains ▁from ▁points ▁south ▁and ▁west ▁used ▁the ▁PR R ▁main ▁line ▁to ▁Exchange ▁Place ▁in ▁Jersey ▁City , ▁New ▁Jersey . ▁The ▁New ▁York ▁T unnel ▁Ext ension ▁branch ed ▁off ▁from ▁the ▁original ▁PR R ▁line ▁two ▁miles ▁n ortheast ▁of ▁New ark , ▁then ▁ran ▁n ortheast ▁across ▁the ▁Jersey ▁M ead ows ▁to ▁the ▁North ▁River ▁T unn els ▁and ▁New ▁York ▁P enn . ▁The ▁tunnel ▁project ▁included ▁the ▁Portal ▁Bridge ▁over ▁the ▁H ack ens ack ▁River ▁and ▁the ▁Manh attan ▁Transfer ▁inter change ▁with ▁the ▁Hudson ▁and ▁Manh attan ▁Rail road ▁( now ▁PATH ). ▁The ▁opening ▁of ▁the ▁North ▁River ▁T unn els ▁and ▁P enn ▁Station ▁made ▁the ▁PR R ▁the ▁first – ▁and ▁as ▁it ▁turned ▁out , ▁only – ▁rail road ▁with ▁direct ▁access ▁to ▁New