▁tub es ▁with ▁the ▁diameter ▁of ▁. ▁The ▁New ▁York ▁T unnel ▁Ext ension ▁quickly ▁gained ▁opposition ▁from ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁Board ▁of ▁Rap id ▁Trans it ▁Commission ers , ▁who ▁object ed ▁that ▁they ▁would ▁not ▁have ▁juris diction ▁over ▁the ▁new ▁t unn els , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁from ▁the ▁Inter borough ▁Rap id ▁Trans it ▁Company , ▁which ▁saw ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁T unnel ▁Ext ension ▁as ▁a ▁potential ▁compet itor ▁to ▁its ▁as - y et - in complete ▁rapid ▁trans it ▁service . ▁The ▁project ▁was ▁approved ▁by ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁Board ▁of ▁Ald erm en ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 9 0 2 , ▁on ▁a ▁ 4 1 – 3 6 ▁vote . ▁The ▁North ▁and ▁East ▁River ▁T unn els ▁were ▁to ▁be ▁built ▁under ▁the ▁river bed ▁of ▁their ▁respective ▁rivers . ▁The ▁PR R ▁and ▁L IR R ▁lines ▁would ▁conver ge ▁at ▁New ▁York ▁P enn ▁Station , ▁an ▁exp ans ive ▁Be aux - Ar ts ▁ed ifice ▁between ▁ 3 1 st ▁and ▁ 3 3 rd ▁Stre ets ▁in ▁Manh attan . ▁The ▁entire ▁project ▁was ▁expected ▁to ▁cost ▁over ▁$ 1 0 0 ▁million . ▁ ▁Design ▁and ▁construction ▁ ▁Led ▁by ▁Chief ▁Engine er ▁Charles ▁M . ▁Jacob s , ▁the ▁tunnel ▁design ▁team ▁began ▁work ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 2 . ▁The ▁contract ▁for ▁building ▁the ▁North ▁River ▁T unn els ▁was ▁awarded ▁to ▁O ' R our ke ▁Engineering ▁Const ruction ▁Company ▁in