After a Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) proposal to redesign the New Haven Union Station pedestrian tunnel triggered a wave of public feedback, department spokesperson Eva Zymaris confirmed that CTDOT is reconsidering its initial plan. In an interview with the Arts Paper, Zymaris said CTDOT is “working closely with the city and local stakeholders” on next steps for the iconic silver tube tunnel, whose redesign was part of the over $400 million modernization project slated to begin at the end of 2027.
Former Amtrak employee and lifelong Connecticut resident Jacob Damon was one of the residents who sent in a (by his own admission) “lengthy” comment during CTDOT’s public feedback window, taking a stance against the redesign: “The tunnel is one of the best parts of the station as a whole. It’s a pure New Haven relic of old.”
The tunnel has also served as inspiration for New Haven artists. Local alt-rock musician Esmer filmed a promotional video for his EP Train Stop in the silver tube, calling it “a center of excitement, nostalgia, and creativity." He chose the tunnel for his promo to symbolize the change and grief in his songs: “I love how magical and unique it looks. From the tin-like color to the reverberation off the walls, it really holds a special place in my heart!”
The tunnel was built in 1988 as part of a larger restoration of Union Station by the firm Newman Architects. The designers were tasked with restoring the Cass Gilbert Train Hall, a Beaux-Arts neoclassical structure. Their solution was the futuristic, silver-tube pedestrian tunnel.
Elihu Rubin, Associate Professor of Architecture and Urban Studies at the Yale School of Architecture, noted that the design is not stuck in the 1980s. “I could imagine this being built in the streamlined era of the 1930s. I could imagine it being created in the mod era of the 1960s. It was built in the late 1980s when postmodern architecture was ascendant—and even now, in 2026…it’s my opinion, but it doesn’t feel tired.”
Zymaris emphasized that “this is not a cosmetic project. This is a needed project to repair and replace infrastructure that will be transformative for the users of the rail station, the city, and the state.” She noted that the tunnel needs to be upgraded while the platforms are removed and replaced, since it “won’t be touched again for decades.”
But Rubin does not see a pedestrian tunnel in disrepair. “There would have to be a really good reason to take the tunnel away—but when you look at these elements, they just don’t look that bad.” Rubin emphasized that maintenance, care, and repair are paramount to any sustainable, economically viable building reconstruction—which often involves preservation rather than a complete redesign.
The initial tunnel redesign for the new tunnel was not well-received by some. Esmer put it bluntly: “It looks like a glorified Subway franchise.” He hopes that if CTDOT does change the design, they “gather the talents of artists in New Haven – there are so many out here who would do it justice.” Damon noted that he was not against all the innovations in the original proposal, but emphasized that he wishes “they only retrofit the tunnel instead of changing the design.”
Rubin believes keeping iconic structures like the tunnel is important to New Haven’s sense of place and community: “One of the reasons why I think New Haven is growing, and is an increasingly popular place for people to relocate to, is that it’s got a sense of place. Every interesting element in buildings that we lose erodes that sense of place ever so slightly over time.” It’s why Rubin is not surprised by the public pushback. “It's one of those places that makes New Haven, New Haven: a little bit quirky, a little bit unexpected, totally awesome.”
Rubin recommended CTDOT preserve and repair the current tunnel until it no longer serves any purpose. He urges the DOT, “hold on to it until it finally reaches a moment where we can rationally say ‘This feature has reached the end of its life cycle.’”
When Damon learned that the new design was being reconsidered, he shared, “There’s a light at the end of the (Union Station) tunnel.”