Inside the 2nd Avenue Subway

The 2nd avenue subway line has been in progress since it kicked off in April of 2007, but has actually been in the cities pipeline since 1929. The plan has been to run a 2-line track downtown starting in Lower Manhattan’s, Financial District (in Hanover Square) & running up Second Avenue through East Harlem at 125th Street. There will also be a transfer (to the local “Q” train) on 63rd Street to allow riders to travel cross-town to the west side in Midtown and also a connection (to the local “F” train) travelling to Brooklyn for a total of 16 stops.

Currently, we are in phase one of a four phase project. Quarterly financial report posted to the MTA website shows that out of the 4,451 billion dollars that has been budgeted for phase 1 as of 4th quarter in 2010, that 2,039.6 billion dollars has been awarded in expenditures and 1,102.7 billion dollars has been expended. The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has expected that expenditures may supersede budgeted expectations and reach a possible $5.7 billion.

I am one of the thousands of “lucky” residents to live above this masterpiece of construction on the Upper East Side. Although, when I look out my window or walk by the eyesore in front of my apartment that appears to be nothing more than massive holes in the ground or trailers built for the construction crew (as shown in the photo taken by yours truly to the right) . I was actually astounded to see what lies beneath my very feet.

Until right now I thought that all that constant moving of the sidewalks was just to confuse us pedestrians and make residents feel comfortable that there was some level of progression with the infamous subway line which has been to not be completed during my youth; until I came across an interesting story published recently in Our Town by a photographer named Joseph M. Calisi (shown to the left). Astounding images displayed 2 colossal tunnels for the north and southbound tracks; and the tunnel boring machine (TBM) also called a "mole", which is a mechanism used to excavate tunnels and can drill through the solid rock and rubble are definitely a magnificent site.

As accessible as my neighborhood is I often think about how even more labor-less it would be to walk out my front door and onto a subway platform heading to the opposite side of the island. The FTA has also approximated a possible completion date for mid 2018, or mid 2017 at best so unfortunately I may have to stick around for another 7 years or so for that day.

Continue to check in Uppereast.com for the latest news on the 2nd Avenue subway
updates.

References:
http://ourtownny.com/2011/05/04/down-deep-in-the-hole/#more-12144
http://www.plannyc.org/
http://www.mta.info/capconstr/sas/documents/sas_Q4_FTAReport.pdf