▁tunnel ▁just ▁east ▁of ▁T enth ▁Avenue . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁Need ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 4 , ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁buildings ▁in ▁the ▁neighborhood ▁were ▁demol ished ▁to ▁construct ▁the ▁ ▁right - of - way ▁of ▁D yer ▁Avenue , ▁an ▁ar ter ial ▁street ▁providing ▁access ▁to ▁the ▁then - under - const ruction ▁Lincoln ▁T unnel . ▁D yer ▁Avenue ▁was ▁named ▁after ▁General ▁George ▁R ath bor ne ▁D yer , ▁who ▁was ▁the ▁chairman ▁of ▁the ▁board ▁of ▁the ▁Port ▁Author ity ▁and ▁died ▁while ▁the ▁tunnel ▁was ▁under ▁construction . ▁The ▁tunnel ' s ▁first ▁( now ▁center ) ▁t ube ▁opened ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 9 3 7 . ▁A ▁second ▁t ube ▁opened ▁to ▁the ▁north ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁but ▁the ▁t unn els ▁only ▁had ▁a ▁combined ▁capacity ▁of ▁ 1 5 ▁million ▁vehicles ▁per ▁year , ▁and ▁by ▁ 1 9 4 9 , ▁the ▁tub es ▁were ▁already ▁carrying ▁ 1 1 ▁million ▁annual ▁vehicles . ▁ ▁In ▁March ▁ 1 9 5 1 , ▁the ▁Port ▁Author ity ▁commission ers ▁gave ▁their ▁appro val ▁to ▁pre lim inary ▁plans ▁for ▁a ▁third ▁t ube ▁of ▁the ▁Lincoln ▁T unnel , ▁to ▁the ▁south ▁of ▁the ▁two ▁existing ▁tub es . ▁The ▁project ▁would ▁also ▁involve ▁extending ▁the ▁D yer ▁Avenue ▁approach , ▁on ▁the ▁Manh attan ▁side , ▁south ward ▁from ▁ 3 4 th ▁Street ▁to ▁ 3 0 th ▁Street . ▁It