Phase 2 of 2nd Avenue Subway Clears Preliminary Funding Hurdle

EAST HARLEM, NY — With all the celebrating over the fact that phase one of the 2nd Avenue Subway will launch January 1, many people may be forgetting that there's a lot of work left to do. After nearly 100 years and more than $4 billion spent it's easy to forget that the 2nd Avenue Subway is a four-part project.

That's right, the MTA is only 25 percent done. And if the MTA keeps up its current pace everyone reading this article will likely be dead by the time phase two opens.

But the next phase in the project — which will extend the Q train from East 96th Street to East 125th Street in East Harlem — cleared a preliminary funding hurdle Friday when the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) granted the MTA permission to enter what's called "project development" for phase two.

Shakespeare said it best: Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more.

According to an FTA letter sent to MTA Chairman and CEO Thomas Prendergast "project development" means the MTA can incur costs on, "work necessary to complete the environmental review process and as much engineering and design activity as MTA believes is necessary to support the environmental review process." And the MTA is allowed to incur those costs before getting awarded any federal grant money from the FTA.

The "project development" stage of the project can take up to two years, but during that time the MTA could receive a full funding grant agreement from the federal government which could cover one-third of the cost of the entire construction for phase two of the 2nd Avenue Subway, according to Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney.

"I am thrilled that the Federal Transit Administration has recognized that the second phase of the Second Avenue Subway from 96th to 125th Street is worthy of receiving federal funding," Maloney said in a statement. "It will relieve congestion on the Lexington Avenue line, reduce commuting times and make it easier for New Yorkers to travel around the City. On day one, it is estimated that over 100,000 passengers will ride Phase 2 when it is completed. This is fantastic news for the City."

Phase one of the 2nd Avenue Subway will re-route the Q train up 2nd Avenue, making new stops at East 63rd Street, East 72nd Street, East 86th Street and East 96th Street. The additions made to the Q line along 2nd Avenue are expected to support a ridership of 200,000 people.

Photo by Metropolitan Transportation Authority via Flickr/Creative Commons