The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Board has approved the tunnel-boring contract for Phase 2 of the Second Avenue Subway, moving forward with a major transit expansion in East Harlem. Governor Kathy Hochul announced the decision, which will extend the Q train from 96 Street to 125 Street and provide new subway access to East Harlem residents.
Under this contract, valued at $1.972 billion and awarded to Connect Plus Partners—a joint venture between Halmar International and FCC Construction—crews will bore a new tunnel from 116 Street to 125 Street and excavate space for the future 125 Street Station. In an effort to control costs, crews will also outfit an existing tunnel segment built in the 1970s for the future 116 Street Station, saving the MTA $500 million.
Construction is scheduled to begin later this year with heavy civil work starting in early 2026. The actual tunnel boring is expected to commence in 2027. The project aims to be on schedule with a revenue service date of September 2032 and remains within its $6.99 billion budget.
Governor Hochul stated, “It’s been a century since the people of East Harlem were promised the new subway they deserve — and we are finally getting it done. East Harlem is one of the most transit-reliant neighborhoods in New York, but every day, tens of thousands of commuters lack subway access. The Second Avenue Subway will change everything; it will shorten commutes for over 100,000 daily riders and make East Harlem more vibrant than ever. Awarding this contract means that the time for promises to this community is over and the time for building is here — next stop 125 Street!”
MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber commented on the milestone: “This is a meaningful step forward not only for the project but everyone in East Harlem and Central Harlem. Locals have waited almost 100 long years for their promised subway extension. Thanks to investments from Governor Hochul and our partners in Washington, today the new MTA is moving forward with the largest tunneling contract in agency history, but – more important – with a project that pencils at the lowest cost per rider of any heavy rail project in America.”
The second phase includes three accessible stations at 106 Street, 116 Street, and 125 Street along Second Avenue—serving an additional estimated ridership of over 110,000 daily passengers once complete—and provides connections between local subway lines as well as commuter rail options such as Metro-North Railroad’s Harlem-125th Street Station.
MTA Construction and Development President Jamie Torres-Springer said: “After generations of promises, the new MTA is delivering. Today’s contract award brings us closer to world-class transit service in East Harlem. Using lessons learned from Phase 1, we’re excited to keep our momentum going and complete this contract better, faster, and cheaper than ever.”
In January 2024, utility relocation work began under an earlier construction contract along Second Avenue between 105 Street and 110 Street near where one station will be built at a later stage. Future contracts include building underground space for another station at Second Avenue/106th St., followed by fit-out work across all three stations covering essential systems such as tracks signals power communications; these contracts are currently either under procurement or design stages.
To address New York City’s complex underground infrastructure—which features some unmapped utilities—the MTA has focused on upfront planning regarding utility relocation requirements during Phase Two implementation efforts.
Cost containment measures have included reusing previously constructed tunnels dating back decades—from projects abandoned due fiscal crises—as well as employing modern contracting strategies like A+B (design-build) models alongside reductions in non-essential station spaces; these steps have saved more than $1.3 billion overall.
East Harlem stands out as one of America’s largest affordable housing areas—with about seventy percent reliant on public transportation—and advocates highlight how transit equity improvements could help local residents save up twenty minutes off commute times while creating jobs through set hiring goals prioritizing neighborhood workers.
Senator Charles Schumer noted his support: “This construction contract for Phase II of the Second Avenue Subway will bring us another big step closer to achieving transportation equity in New York; ensuring East Harlem has greater access to jobs health care other essential services while reducing congestion improving air quality… I secured $3.4 billion federal funding—then largest Capital Investment Grant history—to advance this project when work done more than three hundred thousand riders benefit every day.”
Other elected officials including Senator Kirsten Gillibrand Representative Jerrold Nadler Representative Adriano Espaillat State Senator Jose M Serrano Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine echoed support emphasizing job creation increased connectivity longstanding community advocacy milestones achieved by awarding current construction contracts.
Phase One extended Q train service northward opening January first two thousand seventeen after being city’s largest system expansion fifty years serving millions since then—while Phase Two aims build upon those successes providing further accessibility convenience multimodal connections throughout region.
