2nd Ave Subway December Launch Could be in Jeopardy: Report

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — A new report is casting doubt on whether the MTA will meet its goal to launch service on the long-anticipated 2nd Ave Subway by Dec. 31.

The quarterly report issued Monday during an MTA Capital Program Oversight Committee meeting identified three contracts that could stall the project. An independent engineer also expressed concerns Monday about the MTA's testing of key systems for the new subway line, warning that testing needs to be accelerated in order to meet a December deadline.

Finishes at the proposed 72nd Street Station, specifically testing on the station's escalators and elevators, have been identified as concerns. According to the report, the MTA has set a target date of Nov. 30 for testing, which means all necessary tests would need to be completed in under a month.

In addition to delayed testing at the 72nd Street Station, the report also identifies fire alarm testing at various stations as a potential roadblock for a December launch.

"Conduit installation delayed Fire Alarm installation at all stations," reads the report.

As of Monday, contractors are still working to install the conduit necessary to test fire alarm systems, according to the report. As a result, testing will not begin until at least mid-November at the 63rd Street, 72nd Street, 86th Street and 96th Street stations, according to the report.

In the same report, an independent engineer hired by the MTA said that the project is behind-schedule on key systems tests.

"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.

Currently the MTA is conducting eight to 10 systems tests a week, but in order to finish all required tests by mid-December the number would need to be increased to an average of 25 tests per week, according to the report.

The MTA did not return a message left by Patch asking if the 2nd Ave Subway would be ready to launch service by the end of the year. The message also asked whether it would be logistically possible to increase key systems tests to 25 per week.

Monday's report echoed similar concerns of a report from the MTA's independent engineer from July. At the time of that report, MTA officials told Patch that they were still confident the service would be launched by the end of the year. MTA spokesman Kevin Ortiz told Patch the MTA is taking several measures — such as ordering extra elevator cabs at 72nd Street, having contractors put in overtime work and adding a night construction shift — in order to meet its goal.

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

Photo: Courtesy of MTA via creative commons