‘No Doubt’ 2nd Ave Subway Will Open in December, Congresswoman Says

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — At least one New Yorker is happy with the MTA's progress on the 2nd Ave Subway. Carolyn Maloney — the U.S. Congresswoman representing the Upper East Side — gave the MTA an A+ for its work on the project during a Tuesday press conference at the new 63rd Street plaza.

During Tuesday's press conference Maloney said she has "no doubt" the 2nd Ave Subway will be ready for service by December based on information she has received from the MTA.

"The MTA tells me that as of October 1, the project was 98% complete,” Maloney said. “With that news, I am proud to be able to give them an A+ on my final report card on the progress of Phase 1. When I first came to Congress, high on my list of things I wanted to accomplish was building the 2nd Ave Subway, and Phase 1 will be opening for business soon. We’ve passed the point where there is any doubt that it will be finished."

On her final report card Maloney gave the MTA an A+ overall, but also in six of nine specific criteria.

Maloney was first elected to office in 1992, twenty years after Governor Nelson Rockefeller, Mayor John Lindsay and then-Congressman Ed Koch broke ground on the 2nd Ave Subway.

Maloney's optimism regarding the 2nd Ave Subway mirrors that of MTA officials, who have stuck by their goal of revenue service on the new line by Dec. 31. But not everyone involved in the project has been as optimistic.

In a September report an independent engineer said that the MTA was behind schedule on systems testing, which could potentially jeopardize a December launch.

"The test program is not meeting the completion rate required to finish the testing of all key systems needed for a start of revenue service in December," read the engineer's report.

At the time of that report, the MTA was conducting eight to 10 systems tests a week. In order to finish all required tests by mid-December the number would have needed to be increased to an average of 25 tests per week, according to the report.

Phase 1 of the 2nd Ave Subway project will construct new Q train stops at 96th, 86th and 72nd street stations along 2nd Ave and connect the Q to the existing Lexington Avenue-63rd Street station. The additions made to the Q line along 2nd Ave are expected to support a ridership of 200,000 people.

Photo: Courtesy of U.S. Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney