The MTA now hopes to break ground on (this iteration of the 2nd Avenue Subway) by the end of the year. Chuck Schumer – senator from New York – says: “Things never looked better for getting the Second Avenue subway to East Harlem.” In our neighborhood 71 percent of residents use public transit to get to work, compared with a citywide average of 56 percent.
When finished the 2nd Avenue Subway is expected to serve about 123,000 daily riders and will be the first major project transit project in memory that isn’t serving Manhattan’s elite.
Uptown Grand Central’s Carey King notes that, “I think you have a lot of people that are pining for the neighborhood to be thriving and vibrant and full of positive energy,”
“It could make a really big difference,” said Representative Adriano D. Espaillat, whose district includes East Harlem.
The photo, above, comes from the 1977 work done to the project that was proposed in 1929. When asked why it’s not been completed, the answer is unanimous – money.
A New York Times investigation showed that at the lower part of the line (below 96th Street) cost a mind-boggling $2.5 billion per mile – more than almost every other recent transit project in the world.
In total that section (below 96th Street) cost more than $4.4 billion. Pushing the line north into Harlem is expected to cost $6.3 billion, and major infrastructure projects almost always end up costing more than initially estimated.
The review by The Times — which included interviews with more than 50 contractors and nearly 100 current and former M.T.A. employees — found that transit projects in New York cost more than in other cities because trade unions, construction companies and consulting firms all take larger profits here than elsewhere.
New District Lines
New district lines have been drawn and here is your chance to see whether or not you live in the 68th District:
Or in the more central 70th district:
All of which will come into play when you go to the ballot box in June for the primaries.
Presentation on Homeless Shelters Tonight at 7:00
On Monday (March 7th) at 7:00 PM, join HNBA’s Vice President – Shawn Hill – in a presentation exploring how the Department of Homeless Services produced and distributed misleading maps that purposefully distorted the distribution of homeless shelters in New York City.
Click HERE to Register.