Metropolitan Transportation Authority officials believe New York's largest public works project will provide tremendous benefits to Long Island commuters.

MTA Capital Construction President Mysore Magaraja has high hopes for a tunnel that will connect the Long Island Rail Road to Grand Central Station in east Manhattan. Magaraja said the 3.3-mile tunnel providing East Side access will increase capacity by 50 percent. An LIRR survey showed 70 percent of commuters would prefer arriving at Grand Central Station.

"For our customers, you know, who work on the east side of Manhattan, it saves them almost 40 minutes a day," Magaraja said.

However, some commuters said they'd rather see the money used to improve service at Penn Station.

Excavation for the final tunnel connection is scheduled to begin by the summer. The project is scheduled to cost $6.3 billion and be completed in 2013. Related Information: MTA