Second Avenue Subway, phase 2

Details

Location
Manhattan
Type
System Expansion
Status
Planning

Area Map

40.791866205085, -73.941525066626

Timeline

Pre-planning

April 2004: Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) submitted to FTA, and Record of Decision on full-length Second Avenue Subway project.
November 2018: Supplemental Environmental Assessment (SEA) submitted. Project awarded Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) by the FTA.

Planning

January 2022: Project advances into Engineering phase of federal Capital Investment Grants (CIG) program and expects to request a grant before end of 2023.

About the project

Building on the success of Phase 1 of the Second Avenue Subway, which opened on January 1, 2017, Phase 2 is currently underway with teams advancing preliminary design and engineering.

Phase 2 of the Second Avenue Subway is a transportation option that is long overdue for the residents and businesses of East Harlem. The area has been a subway desert ever since the Second Avenue El stopped service above 57th Street in 1940. Phase 2 will bring a subway line back to the neighborhood by extending service north from 96th Street to 125th Street, creating three new stations at 106th, 116th, and 125th streets. It will improve mobility for commuters and residents of East Harlem and improve reliability. It will also reduce crowding along the lines on Lexington Avenue.

The project received federal environmental approval in November 2018. The MTA is now working with the Federal Transit Administration to advance the project within the Capital Investments Grant program for federal funding, which will be supplemented with local funds.

The project requires the MTA to acquire some properties needed for constructing entrances and ancillary facilities, as well as launching tunnel-boring equipment. That process is currently underway. A public hearing on the first tranche of properties to be acquired was held in March of 2021, and subsequent hearings will be scheduled as needed.

Learn more about Phase 1 of the Second Avenue Subway.

Project benefits

Approximately 300,000 riders daily on Phases 1 and 2 combined
Three new ADA-accessible stations at 106 St, 116 St, and 125 St
Increased transit connectivity at the 125th Street station, with connections to the , Metro-North trains, and M60 Select Bus Service to LaGuardia Airport
A one-seat ride from East Harlem to the Upper East Side, West Midtown, and Coney Island
Less crowding on the lines, as well as the 96 St and local bus service
Shorter commute times — some passengers may save as much as 20 minutes

Map of the Second Avenue Subway Phase 2 Route

Rendering of 125th Street Q entrance, looking south

Contractor outreach

MTA Construction and Development will be conducting an industry outreach event on July 11, 2023, to provide a project overview of Phase 2 of the Second Avenue Subway Project. Contractors and Consultants interested in participating on the project are invited to attend.

The event will be held at MTA headquarters, at 2 Broadway in Manhattan. Advance registration is required. Email contracts@mtacd.org to make reservations.

For more details, see MTA C&D's opportunities and solitications.

An empty tunnel that will be used for the Second Avenue Subway.

Gov. Kathy Hochul and MTA leadership recently toured an in-progress subway tunnel between 110th and 120th streets.

Contact us

For community related concerns, questions or additional information, please contact the Community Outreach Team: outreach@mtacd.org

Community outreach

The Second Avenue Subway Community Information Center (CIC) at 69 East 125th Street, between Park and Madison Avenues, offers rotating exhibits and programming about the history and construction of the Second Avenue Subway. The center serves as a one-stop shop where residents, businesses, stakeholders, and the general public can ask questions, learn more about the project, and bring issues of concern to the project staff.