Second Avenue Subway Stations Still Don't Have Air Conditioning, MTA Says

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UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — It's the middle of summer and the MTA still hasn't flipped the switch on the air conditioning at its brand-new $4.5 billion subway stations, an MTA spokesman told Patch.

The promised climate control system at the Second Avenue Subway stations on 72nd Street, 86th Street and 96th Street has not been turned on because the MTA prioritized launching the new subway line and good service before ironing out details like air conditioning, an MTA spokesman said.

"We are thrilled with the high level of service the Second Avenue Subway is providing after decades of delay and the impact it's had reducing passenger loads on the Lexington Avenue line," MTA spokesman Kevin Ortiz told Patch in a statement.

But relief is coming soon for Upper East Siders who frequent the new stations.

"We expect the climate control to be activated at all stations on the line over the next two days," Ortiz said in a statement.

Hot summer temperatures arrived in New York City some time ago, with 80 degree days now the norm. So far in July, 11 of 12 days have a recorded high temperature greater than 80 degrees Fahrenheit, according to a monthly Weather.com forecast. In June recorded high temperatures were in the 70s eight days, the 80s on 15 days and the 90s on two days, according to the same forecast.

The MTA could not turn on the climate control system until the cooling tower water was treated and tested for Legionnaire’s disease, an MTA spokesman told Patch. The MTA only received the go-ahead from the Department of Health on Friday last week and it takes at least 3 days to turn on the system and make sure its running smoothly, the spokesman said.

The Second Avenue Subway was launched to much fanfare on January 1, with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo christening the train line with a midnight ride on New Year's Eve. Construction on the project cost $4.5 billion and took the better part of a decade of constant work to complete.

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