$7 billion Second Avenue Subway project advances with TBM launch

(UI) — New York officials have broken ground on a major construction phase of the Second Avenue Subway Phase 2 project, marking the start of work that will extend subway service into East Harlem and add three new stations to the system.

The milestone marks the beginning of preparations for a tunnel boring machine that will be launched in early 2027 from a site near East 120th Street and Second Avenue. The machine will excavate new tunnels extending north to 125th Street and west toward Malcolm X Boulevard as part of the long-planned expansion.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority also awarded a major construction contract for a section of tunnel and the future 106th Street station. Officials said lessons learned during Phase 1 have helped reduce costs by more than $1 billion through measures including early utility relocations, reuse of existing tunnel segments built in the 1970s, streamlined contract structures and improved project coordination.

The $6.97 billion project will extend Q train service approximately 1.5 miles north from 96th Street and add new stations at 106th Street, 116th Street and 125th Street. The expansion is expected to improve transit access for East Harlem residents and provide direct connections to existing subway and commuter rail services.

According to the MTA, Phase 2 is scheduled to enter service in 2032 and will ultimately serve more than 100,000 daily riders in East Harlem. When combined with the existing Second Avenue Subway, the expanded line is expected to accommodate roughly 300,000 riders per day while improving connectivity across Upper Manhattan.

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