What is going on with the 2nd Avenue subway? Is there a long-term schedule planned for the construction?

Anyone living on the Upper East Side near or east of 2nd Avenue is well aware of the massive construction that has been going on over the last few years.  This project has been in the works for quite some time and finally became a reality with the groundbreaking occurring in 2007.  Local businesses and nearby residences have been significantly affected, but the long-term results will hopefully lead to less congestion on east side subways and more convenience for all.

Phases
The Second Avenue subway project will be completed in four phases (with potential time overlap):

  • Phase 1 – Construction occurring from 105th to 69th Street, including a tunnel connection to the 63rd Street/Broadway Line
    • Subway service will operate from 96th Street & 2nd Avenue to West Midtown Manhattan and Brooklyn via the Broadway Line (new Q train extension)
  • Phase 2 – Construction occurring from 125th to 105th Street
    • Q train subway service will extend up to 125th Street
  • Phase 3 – Construction occurring from 72nd to Houston Street
    • New T train subway service will operate from 125th to Houston Street and 2nd Avenue
  • Phase 4 – Construction occurring from Houston Street to Hanover Square (Financial District / Lower Manhattan)
    • T train subway service will extend down to Hanover Square station

Timeline
To give you some perspective, groundbreaking on the project occurred in 2007 and Phase 1 is scheduled to be completed by 2016.  The expected timeline thereafter is unclear, but if Phase 2 takes several years, it may not be until at least the year 2020 before construction starts to affect neighborhoods south of 68th Street along 2nd Avenue (Note: this is pure speculation and should not be considered factual in any way).

Note: For official information on the Second Avenue subway, check out the MTA (Metropolitan Transportation Authority) website’s dedicated section.

For a visual display of the new subway map for the Q and T train lines, refer below:

2nd Avenue Subway Map

Categories:
General  |  NYC Public Transportation