The ambitious Second Avenue subway extension into East Harlem faced an uncertain future following Governor Kathy Hochul’s abrupt pause on New York City’s congestion pricing program last month, now there might be some hope.
Federal commitment to the project remains strong, with U.S. Department of Transportation Deputy Secretary Polly Trottenberg recently emphasizing their dedication. “We never want to see a great project, something like phase two of the Second Ave. subway, not happen,” Trottenberg asserted. “Our secretary [Pete Buttigieg] has made the pledge that we want to keep our commitments to all the projects that we had agreed to do with the MTA.”
The $7.7 billion Second Avenue subway phase two project aims to extend the Q train from East 96th Street to East 125th Street and Lexington Avenue, introducing rapid transit to East Harlem for the first time in nearly 75 years. The federal government had promised $3.4 billion toward the project, contingent upon the MTA securing $4.3 billion in local matching funds.
However, Hochul’s eleventh-hour decision to halt congestion pricing—a program expected to generate $15 billion in revenue—has left a significant funding gap. MTA Chairman Janno Lieber has made it clear that the agency is working tirelessly to salvage the federal dollars. “There is no intention to abandon that [federal] grant,” Lieber confirmed. Yet, the loss of expected congestion pricing bonds has left the MTA scrambling to cover its capital budget, delaying not only the Second Avenue extension but also other crucial transit projects.
Jamie Torres-Springer, President of MTA Construction and Development, confirmed the cessation of work on the Second Avenue subway during a recent news conference. “We have stopped work on Second Avenue subway,” Torres-Springer stated. “There are a lot of projects that we will not be able to build, and we’ll be focusing on state of good repair.”
Governor Hochul attempted to alleviate concerns last month when she commented:“We’re looking at a pause … that does not mean that we will not find funding for the Second Avenue subway,” she reassured. However, the mixed messages have left many New Yorkers, particularly East Harlem residents, skeptical and frustrated.
As the MTA prepares to outline further adjustments to its capital program, the fate of the Second Avenue subway extension hangs in the balance. The residents of East Harlem, like Leah Finnie, remain wary of the promises made. “It’s unfortunate. Because the people who live in this neighborhood deserve the same kind of services,” one commented. The once hopeful project now symbolizes the ongoing struggle for equitable urban development.
