Second Avenue subway extension advances with $2B tunneling plan
The long-awaited Second Avenue subway project is taking a major step forward, with crews set to dig a new tunnel up to 120 feet below ground. The $2 billion contract will extend the Q line from East 96th Street to East 125th Street, adding three new stations and connecting to the 4, 5 and 6 lines at Lexington Avenue.
NEW YORK – The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is moving forward with the Second Avenue Subway expansion, a project that has been promised to East Harlem for nearly a century. The MTA Board has approved a nearly-$2 billion contract for the tunneling and excavation work for phase two of the project.
Second Avenue Subway line expansion broken into two phases. (Photo: MTA)
What we know:
Phase two of the Second Avenue subway project will extend the Q train service from 96th Street to 125th Street, bringing new transit access to East Harlem residents and serving an additional 110,000 daily riders. The project is projected to cost nearly $7 billion and is expected to be completed by fall 2032.
The 1.5-mile extension will include two new stations on Second Avenue at 106th and 116th streets, as well as a new station at 125th Street and Lexington Avenue that will connect to the 4, 5 and 6 lines and Metro-North. This will reportedly shorten travel times by as much as 20 minutes for some passengers and create a one-seat ride from East Harlem to Coney Island, according to MTA.
Governor Kathy Hochul called the project “long overdue,” saying, “For the people of East Harlem, the time of promises is over. We are moving down the tracks as quickly as we possibly can.”
“It’s been a century since the people of East Harlem were promised the new subway they deserve — and we are finally getting it done,” Gov. Hochul said. “East Harlem is one of the most transit-reliant neighborhoods in New York, but every day, tens of thousands of commuters lack subway access. The Second Avenue Subway will change everything; it will shorten commutes for over 100,000 daily riders and make East Harlem more vibrant than ever. Awarding this contract means that the time for promises to this community is over and the time for building is here — next stop 125 Street!”
MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber noted that the project will please locals who have “waited almost 100 long years for their promised subway extension.”
The project is being funded in part by congestion pricing, as well as federal funds and the MTA’s 2025-2029 Capital Plan.
Early work will begin later this year, with heavy construction kicking off in early 2026. The actual tunnel boring is expected to start in 2027.
The Source: Information in this article was obtained through MTA, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office and NYSDOT.