The Second Avenue Subway is officially a thing (well, on paper at least).
The Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) released the latest proposed revamp of the New York City subway map, depicting the long awaited Second Avenue line. The map, which shows an extension of the Q train that currently runs from Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue in Brooklyn, to Astoria-Ditmars Boulevard in Queens, is now slated to run to 96th street and 2nd avenue in Manhattan. The new 96th, 86th and 72nd street stations will be the first for the line and are scheduled to open at the end of this year.
The MTA board also voted to resurrect the previously discontinued W line. The W ran from Whitehall Street in Lower Manhattan with the R line, to Astoria-Ditmars Blvd with the N from 2001 to 2010. The W will replace Q service to Queens and will start from its original starting point of Whitehall Street.
This isn’t the first time we’re hearing about the Second Avenue subway line. It’s been discussed for nearly a century and it’s finally being put into motion. The actual Second Avenue line is set to run from Hanover Square in Manhattan’s Financial District, all the way to East 125th street and Lexington Avenue, joining the 4, 5 and 6 lines. There is also to be a brand new T line, but its official debut remains unknown other than being years away.
Although there are doubts that the MTA will reach their December deadline, they’re pretty confident in that the first phase will be officially complete. In the meantime, phase two, which is toward 2nd Avenue and East 125th street, is still currently in the works.