On October 17, 1979, the groundbreaking for Section 7, a cut-and-cover section of the Archer Avenue line, took place. This section included the Hillside Avenue Connector, which connected the line with the IND Queens Boulevard Line, and included the Jamaica–Van Wyck station. This section extended north from 89th Avenue to a point past Hillside Avenue, and was expected to be completed in 43 months. This section was constructed by Schiavone Construction Company for $37,728,140. Most of the project was constructed via cut-and-cover methods, with portions of the lines excavated with tunneling shield methods. The line was constructed through the sandy soil of south Jamaica, and therefore, slurry walls were used to construct the line, a relatively new construction method in New York City. This method replaced blasting and shorting. Pumps and waterproofing were used to keep ground water from getting into the tunnel. According to the engineer in charge of the project, the water could reach a depth of in a heavy rain without them.