“Tunnelgeddon” (tunnel + Armageddon) is the traffic nightmare of tunnel delays—often caused by a lane closure or the closure of an entire tunnel. “Tunnelgeddon” has been cited in print since at least 2011, when it referred to the tunnels of Seattle, Washington.
 
New York City’s major traffic tunnels are the two tunnels under the Hudson River—the Holland Tunnel and the Lincoln Tunnel. “Komanoff models tunnelgeddon & finds ‘lengthened journeys .. w[ould] cost travelers in NJ & Manahttan CBD approx $235m / yr in lost time’” was cited on Twitter on October 8, 2014. Charles Komanoff is a transport economist who lives in lower Manhattan.
 
     
Wikipedia: List of bridges and tunnels in New York City
Tunnels
Each of the tunnels that run underneath the East and Hudson Rivers were marvels of engineering when first constructed. The Holland Tunnel is the oldest of the vehicular tunnels, opening to great fanfare in 1927 as the first mechanically ventilated underwater tunnel. The Queens Midtown Tunnel was opened in 1940 to relieve the congestion on the city’s bridges. Each of its tubes were designed 1½ feet wider than the Holland Tunnel in order to accommodate the wider cars of the period. When the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel opened in 1950 as the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel, it was the longest continuous underwater vehicular tunnel in the world, a title which it still holds. The Lincoln Tunnel has three tubes linking midtown Manhattan to New Jersey, a configuration which provides the flexibility to provide four lanes in one direction during rush-hour or three lanes in each direction.
       
West Seattle Blog
‘Everyone has the right to be on the road,’ mayor declares
September 14, 2011 at 9:10 pm
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COMMENTS
If you are slowed, suck it! What do you think will happen when tunnelgeddon arrives?
 
I also pay car tabs and property taxes. Again, suck it! You might not see cops pulling over bikes because we are riding within our rights and you are just oblivious to them.
Comment by J — 8:02 pm September 15, 2011
 
BrownhillsBob’s #365daysofbiking 
July 18th (2013—ed.) - Commuting, security and bike racks. In preparation for tunnelgeddon hitting Brum at the weekend - when the city’s Queensway tunnels are closed for six weeks for refurbishment and traffic chaos is expected to ensue - Birmingham City council have been encouraging car or public transport commuters to take to their bikes instead.
(Brumtunnels.—ed.)
 
Twitter
Nicole Gelinas
‏@nicolegelinas
.@Komanoff models tunnelgeddon & finds “lengthened journeys .. w[ould] cost travelers in NJ & Manahttan CBD approx $235m / yr in lost time.”
Manhattan, NY
Delayed on NJTransit
12:00 PM - 8 Oct 2014
 
harlem medic emeritu ‏@harlemedic Oct 8
.@nicolegelinas @Komanoff “tunnelgeddon”? sigh… good one, though. Ping @barrypopik and @jessesheidlower
 
Nicole Gelinas ‏@nicolegelinas Oct 8
@harlemedic @Komanoff @barrypopik @jessesheidlower Charles thought up that. 😊