In a significant shift from previous transit strategies, Governor Kathy Hochul has announced plans to extend the Second Avenue Subway across 125th Street to Broadway, veering away from the longstanding goal of bringing the line downtown along Second Avenue. This new vision, expected to be detailed in Hochul's "State of the State" speech, redirects the future of the Q train westward with the addition of three new stations along 125th Street, terminating at Broadway in Morningside Heights, as reported by Gothamist.
The project comes with a hefty price tag, estimated at $7.5 billion, and includes the cost of new subway cars needed to service the extended line. Despite the costs, however, notable benefits are expected, including a projected reduction in car use by 26,000 vehicle miles traveled per day. Governor Hochul highlighted the projected savings both in future costs and travel time, estimating the initiative as "big wins for the 240,000 daily riders projected to benefit," a statement obtained by Streetsblog NYC.
Currently, the MTA is working on extending the Q train to reach East 125th Street and Lexington Avenue, which is part of the second phase of construction that is expected to be completed by 2032. Hochul's endorsement of the new extension means that major tunneling equipment could remain in place on East 125th Street, signalling potential cost savings in the long-term development of the transit project.
Initial reactions have been mixed, with some local business owners expressing concern about the disruption and potential for gentrification that the expanded subway service might bring to Harlem. RanDe Rogers, treasurer of the East 125th St. business improvement district and owner of a Caribbean restaurant in the area, articulated those concerns, "You can guarantee that the mom and pops are going to have less say, and less protections against the damages of this construction," he told Gothamist. The governor's office is due to reveal the anticipated cost for designing the proposed extension when the executive budget is released next week.
In addition to the subway extension, Governor Hochul is also promoting a $50 million investment in design work for an overhaul of Jamaica Station in Queens. This rehabilitation aims to enhance the flow and connectivity between various modes of transportation, including the subway, bus system, Long Island Rail Road, and the JFK Airport AirTrain. This transit makeover is part of Hochul's broader initiative to transform New York's infrastructure, as outlined in Streetsblog's coverage of her upcoming policy announcements.
