Will The NYC Subway Be Expanded In To Harlem?
Commencing its operations on October 27, 1904, the New York City Subway, renowned as one of the globe’s oldest public transit networks, has gained prominence due to its extensive utilization. The upcoming expansions set for the subway system are poised to offer significant relief to daily commuters on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.
In recent announcements, Governor Kathy Hochul revealed that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is progressing forward with Phase 2 of the Second Avenue Subway. This marks a significant advancement as the initial contract for constructing the future extension of the Second Avenue Subway up to 125th Street in Harlem is now being solicited. The much-anticipated expansion is poised to rectify transportation imbalances in East Harlem, a neighborhood heavily reliant on transit and widely recognized as one of New York City’s most transit-dependent areas, according to insights from the New York State Department of Transportation.
Achieving completion in 2017, Phase One of the project successfully extended the Q line from 63rd Street to 96th Street. Moving into Phase Two, substantial earth and rock excavation is planned, resulting in the establishment of three new stations reaching up to 125th Street. The integration of this fresh stretch, combined with the accomplishments of Phase One, is projected to accommodate an estimated 300,000 daily passengers and substantially reduce travel times by almost twenty minutes.
The financing for these project stages comes from a combination of federal allocations and state taxes. While the initial phase incurred expenses of $1.7 billion per mile, projections for Phase Two present significantly higher costs, estimated at nearly four times the amount, summing up to $6.3 billion. This financial outlay ranks it as one of the most substantial transportation upgrades on a global scale.
In addition to financial concerns, critics voice apprehensions about gentrification, expressing fears that an increased subway presence in East Harlem could bring about lasting transformations for the neighborhood. The concern is that escalating rent prices could displace small local businesses, which constitute the essence of the community, and potentially attract larger corporate franchises to take their place.
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