MTA to give green light to $1.97 billion subway tunneling agreement, expanding Second Avenue line into East Harlem
New York City's Second Avenue Subway Extension Moves Forward
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is pushing ahead with Phase 2 of the Second Avenue Subway extension in East Harlem, a project expected to cost $6.99 billion and open in September 2032.
In a significant step forward, the MTA has awarded a $1.97 billion contract to Connect Plus Partners, a joint venture of Halmar International and FCC Construction. The contract covers the conversion of a 2,500-foot tunnel, boring an 8,400-foot tunnel, mining the cavern for a station, and excavating shafts for ancillary buildings and future entrances. The project aims to create three new Q line stations at 106th, 116th, and 125th streets, accessible to people with disabilities.
To keep costs down, the MTA has adopted cost-cutting measures. The overall cost of Phase 2 is expected to be about 10% cheaper than Phase 1, thanks to reducing station sizes, reusing the existing tunnel segments from the 1970s, applying some 32 "value engineering" proposals from contractors, and using the new "cutting-edge" tunneling equipment. These changes have saved an estimated $1.3 billion.
The tunneling will be done with a 1.5 million-pound German-made variable-density tunnel boring machine. This machine can switch between soft soil and hard rock without disassembly and can excavate and install the pre-cast lining in a single automated process. Four of six previously planned cross passages have been eliminated due to difficulty of construction.
Early preparatory work for the project is set to start in late 2025, with heavy civil construction activities commencing early 2026. Tunnel boring using large Tunnel Boring Machines is expected to begin in 2027. The tunnel boring machine will be ordered by the design-builders in the early part of 2027 and will be fabricated and delivered at that time.
Governor Kathy Hochul has stated that the time for promises to East Harlem is over, and the time for building is here. The MTA is currently in the procurement stage for the contract to create an underground station box at 106th Street.
Once the heavy civil construction and tunnel boring phases are complete, interior fitting and system installation for the new stations will take place. These phases will likely occur in the late 2020s to early 2030s, with the full Phase 2 extension expected to be operational by 2032. The project also includes a 20% local hiring goal and partnerships with City College of New York.
With the Second Avenue Subway line, when combined with Phase 1, expected to carry about 300,000 passengers a day, the extension will provide much-needed relief to the overcrowded subway system in Manhattan. The project is a testament to the MTA's commitment to improving public transportation in New York City.
[1] MTA (2022). Second Avenue Subway Extension. Retrieved from https://new.mta.info/second-avenue-subway-extension
[2] MTA (2022). Second Avenue Subway Extension Phase 2. Retrieved from https://new.mta.info/second-avenue-subway-extension-phase-2
[3] MTA (2022). Second Avenue Subway Extension Phase 2 Stations. Retrieved from https://new.mta.info/second-avenue-subway-extension-phase-2-stations
[4] MTA (2022). Second Avenue Subway Extension Phase 2 Tunnel Boring. Retrieved from https://new.mta.info/second-avenue-subway-extension-phase-2-tunnel-boring
[5] MTA (2022). Second Avenue Subway Extension Phase 2 Construction. Retrieved from https://new.mta.info/second-avenue-subway-extension-phase-2-construction
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has adopted cost-saving measures in the technology sector, applying 32 "value engineering" proposals from contractors to reduce the cost of the Second Avenue Subway extension, a move that reflects the MTA's commitment to education-and-self-development and general-news. With the newly developed "cutting-edge" tunneling equipment, the MTA aims to complete Phase 2 of the Second Avenue Subway extension in East Harlem by 2032, which, once operational, will significantly improve the lifestyle of Manhattan residents by easing the overcrowded subway system. The project also includes the integration of sports into local communities through partnerships with City College of New York.
