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Second Avenue Subway Phase 2

Phase 2 of the Second Avenue Subway project will extend the Q line into East Harlem and Harlem. Phase 2 will improve and reduce commute time for area residents by creating two new stations on Second Avenue at 106 and 116 streets, as well as extending Q service to a third new station at 125 Street and Lexington Avenue that will connect to the 4/5/6 and Metro-North.
Updated Sep 3, 2024

Details

  • Location
    Manhattan
  • Type
    System Expansion
  • Status
    Construction

Area Map

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 is expected to request a grant before end of 2023.
Funding
  • November 2023: The project receives a full funding grant agreement from the FTA providing $3.4 billion in federal funding for Phase 2 of the Second Avenue Subway project.
Construction
  • January 2024: The MTA selects C.A.C. Industries to relocate, and upgrade where necessary, the existing infrastructure beneath the Second Avenue roadway in preparation for work to construct the new 106 St Station.

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 utility relocation beginning in East Harlem with the start of Contract 1.

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 57 Street in 1940. Phase 2 will bring a subway line back to the neighborhood by extending ​ service north from 96 Street to 125 Street, creating three new stations at 106, 116, and 125 streets. Phase 2 of the Second Avenue Subway will improve mobility for commuters and residents of East Harlem, with all new stations being ADA accessible. In addition, the project will improve service and reliability on all transit in East Harlem and reduce overcrowding along the ​​​ lines on Lexington Avenue.

The project has received a full funding grant agreement from the Federal Transit Administration, allowing the MTA to begin awarding a series of contracts that will complete the project.

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 with a series of public hearings held to obtain public comments on the process of property acquisition and eminent domain. 

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 Street, 116 Street, and 125 Street
  • Increased transit connectivity at the 125 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 at 96 St ​ and on local bus service
  • Shorter commute times—some passengers may save as much as 20 minutes

Map of the Second Avenue Subway Phase 2 Route

Second Avenue Subway Phase 2 to Harlem

Rendering of 125th Street Q entrance, looking south

Community outreach

Since 2017, the MTA has initiated a comprehensive community outreach program that included establishing a physical presence in the heart of East Harlem by standing up a brick-and-mortar Community Information Center (CIC), with a fully bi-lingual staff, at 69 East 125 Street.

Since implementation, the CIC and the outreach team have served as a resource to elected officials, community-based organizations, stakeholders, and the community at large by providing updates and fielding questions and concerns on the project and project status; educating groups at the CIC and in their environs; participating in workshops/forums/public events; executing educational pop-ups along the project alignment; coordinating inspections and access agreements with residents and business owners; creating and distributing a project newsletter; and creating project collateral.

The outreach team continues to provide project updates along the project alignment and for 2024 will enhance those efforts to NYCHA developments impacted by Contract 1. To increase community support, the CIC team has also visited local schools to provide presentations on the project and STEM related curriculum matters to educators and students. This work has led the project team to enhance their outreach efforts to the parents and students of School District 4 in East Harlem and to the rest of the project area.

Contact us

For project related concerns, questions or additional information, please contact the community outreach team at outreach@mtacd.org or at 212-722-3700 or call the hotline at 212-693-9520.

Community Information Center

The Second Avenue Subway Community Information Center (CIC) at 69 East 125 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.

Second Avenue Subway Student Ambassador Program and PS 96

Second Avenue Subway Phase 2 community outreach

Construction industry outreach

The MTA will be holding periodic industry outreach events throughout the lifecycle of the Phase 2 project. For more information contact contracts@mtacd.org.

For more details, see MTA C&D's opportunities and solitications.
Gov. Kathy Hochul, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber, MTA Construction & Development President Jamie Torres-Springer, and others tour Phase 2 of the Second Avenue Subway
Gov. Kathy Hochul and MTA leadership recently toured existing subway tunnel between 110 and 120 streets.

Documents

Documents and presentations
Community Board presentations
Brochures
Renderings

Download a PDF of the Phase 2 renderings.