Mass Transit Projects in NYC Receive Much-Needed Federal Funding Grants

Two of New York City’s largest and most important mass transit construction projects are set to begin thanks to federal funding grants recently announced by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

At a press conference in East Harlem on Saturday, November 4th, federal, state, and local elected officials publicly announced a $3.4-billion Full Funding Grant Agreement from the Federal Transit Administration for Phase 2 of the Second Avenue Subway extension, which was made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act) signed by President Joe Biden nearly two years ago. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg was joined by Governor Kathy Hochul, Senate Majority Leader Charles “Chuck” Schumer, Representative Adriano Espaillat, and building trades workers at the site of the Harlem–125th Street station, which currently connects the Metro-North Railroad to the 4, 5, and 6 Lexington Avenue line. Phase 2 will connect the Q line at 96th Street to the 125th Street station plus new stations on Second Avenue at 106th Street and 116th Street. Phase 1, completed in 2017, already benefited approximately 200,000 riders daily, and Phase 2 is expected to serve an additional 100,000 riders daily in one of the most densely populated but underserved communities in the city.

More federal funding for mass transit in New York City was announced on Friday, November 3rd, with an additional $3.8 billion going toward the next phase in the ongoing Gateway Program. Construction of concrete casing underneath Hudson Yards that will connect commuter trains from the new Hudson River Tunnel to Penn Station is expected to start before the end of this year. In total, the federal government has funded $11 billion or 70 percent of the projected cost of the Gateway Program, which is the largest of its kind in the country. Additional federal grants via the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law were announced earlier this week.