Second Ave Subway Project: Governor Hochul announces next phase of Second Avenue Subway expansion to 125th Street
NEW YORK (WABC) — Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the next phase of construction on the Second Avenue Subway is officially underway, advancing a major transit project that will bring expanded service to East Harlem.
The project will extend the Q line from its current northern terminus at 96th Street to 125th Street, providing new transit access for residents on Manhattan’s East Side.
“This is something that is more than symbolic, it’s a tangible change in people’s lives,” Hochul said.
Hochul has called the expansion a “gamechanger” for commuters, saying it will significantly reduce travel times for many riders.
“This will help people save upwards of 20 minutes one way. That’s a gift to people,” Hochul said. “When I see that wall come down and I know I’m the governor that got it done, I’m not stopping until we’re done.”
The announcement comes after the Trump administration agreed in April to release $58 million in federal funding for the project. The money had been withheld before the Metropolitan Transportation Authority filed a lawsuit seeking its release.
The existing tunnels that were built in the 1970s end at 120th Street. Now that the funding has been secured for the Second Avenue subway, officials are confident they’ll finally be able to build new tunnels.
“Now we started to excavate the shaft that we’re going to lower those boring machines down here,” said Jamie Torres Springer, president of MTA construction and development. “Clear out a bunch of space here, and it’s going to break through that bulkhead, that wall over there, and keep going all the way to 125th and Lenox.”
The Second Avenue Subway expansion is expected to cost approximately $7 billion, with about half of the funding expected to come from the federal government.
Officials say the project is expected to be completed by 2032 and will serve 100,000 daily riders — more than a century after it was promised.
ALSO READ | Trump administration agrees to restore funding for Second Avenue subway project
———-
* Get Eyewitness News Delivered
* More Manhattan news
* Send us a news tip
* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts
* Follow us on YouTube
Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News
Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply.
Copyright © 2026 WABC-TV. All Rights Reserved.
