Second Ave Subway Construction thru Phase I open

At the time the 63rd st tunnels were built,it was the height of the "tagging craze" on subway cars,and a very low point
of NYC's finances(Mayor Wagner/Linsdey terms),SAS and ESA were considered "dreams" back then,granted the now LIRR tunnels were
built with some future use in mind,but many years away.
The walls at Lex/63rd st were made to be removable at a later date,a "CYA" if SAS was never restarted.

What are different ways to finance Phase 2?

MTA awards “final” Second Ave. Subway contract | Railway Age

MTA said it was the "10th and final contract" let for Phase 1 of the long-planned Second Avenue Subway, ...

Existing tunnel segments north of 96th Street, excavated during the 1970s, could aid MTA’s political efforts to extend the line north to 125th Street. One of the earlier segments, e between 99th and 105th streets, will be used as tail tracks for Phase 1 revenue service, one MTA source affirms.

The contract is for "station finishes, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, ancillary buildings and entrances for the 86th Street Station of the Second Avenue Subway."

This is very good news to hear. I just hope that this become another excuse to fund Phases 2 (and three).

At the NYC MTA's site: MTA Awards Final Contract to Build Phase 1 of the Second Avenue Subway | MTA

Complete with its target date of December 2016 for opening.

lpetrich wrote:At the NYC MTA's site: MTA Awards Final Contract to Build Phase 1 of the Second Avenue Subway | MTA

Complete with its target date of December 2016 for opening.

This is excellent news. But is is true that the new tunnels for the Second Avenue Subway Phase 1 are 134 feet below street level?!

Is there any news about funding Phase II in the newest capitol budget?

For all of the SAS issues that have been discussed, that is most discussion worthy right now. My reasoning is based on the following:

1. Phase I construction is well underway, and at a pace that makes meeting the December, 2016 target likely.

2. For better or worse, we're getting a 2 track line.

3. Building Phase II would greatly enhance the value and utility of the line by way of serving East Harlem, further enhancing access to/from the UES and taking pressure off the Lex. further uptown.

4. A significant section of tunnel already exists, and has been maintained for decades in usable condition, which is separated from the end of Phase I by barely more than the space where a station has been promised for Phase II.

5. Even though Phase III would add exponentially more to the benefits of an SAS, it seems that with the difficulties of raising money and getting the job done, Phases III and IV are highly unlikely to get done in our lifetimes. However, what I've pointed out in Points 1,3, and 4 make Phase II a no brainer.

railfan365 wrote:Is there any news about funding Phase II in the newest capitol budget?

For all of the SAS issues that have been discussed, that is most discussion worthy right now. My reasoning is based on the following:

1. Phase I construction is well underway, and at a pace that makes meeting the December, 2016 target likely.

2. For better or worse, we're getting a 2 track line.

3. Building Phase II would greatly enhance the value and utility of the line by way of serving East Harlem, further enhancing access to/from the UES and taking pressure off the Lex. further uptown.

4. A significant section of tunnel already exists, and has been maintained for decades in usable condition, which is separated from the end of Phase I by barely more than the space where a station has been promised for Phase II.

5. Even though Phase III would add exponentially more to the benefits of an SAS, it seems that with the difficulties of raising money and getting the job done, Phases III and IV are highly unlikely to get done in our lifetimes. However, what I've pointed out in Points 1,3, and 4 make Phase II a no brainer.

I definitely agree. But the real question is HOW much of engineering has been done for Segments 2 and three? From what I understand, a lot of engineering studies and environmental impact statements were undertaken in the early 2,000's, but I do not know if Final Design Studies were completed for phases 2 and three?

What are NYC'S Mayoral Candidates saying about the Second Avenue Subway?

During the primary, not a whole lot. Maybe now that we're past the primaries, we'll start to hear more, although I think the focus will be on funding the MTA in general and not about any specific projects (unless maybe they're related to protection from hurricanes/flooding). But I would certainly like for them to make at least Phase 2 a priority.

I hope Bill is a fan of public transit and investing in it....

For all of the reasons stated for why it takes longer now to build less subway than it did 100 years ago, I'm wondering why that pace for completing Phase I can't be accelerated. If the tunnel work is far enough along for giving tours and preparing to start laying tracks, if not laying tracks already, and the walls that divided the platforms at Lex and 63rd are fully out, then why do they need three full years to finish what still needs to be finished?

Installing the systems and finishes can take as long, or longer than the tunneling work.

Why are two mezzanine being built at the new stations?

It could be a small mezzanine at each enterance for the station instead of one huge one like they used to build on previous lines. It may be cheaper doing it that way.

News reports last Friday first said that funding for Phase II was in place. Then it was that Mr. Prendergast was in Albany fighting for state funding for it, among other things. It's good to see MTA actively pushing for extending the SAS North of the Phase I terminus - does anyone have any insight to how long it should take to get Phase II finished, if the projection proves out for digging to commence in 2019?