$54M boost for Second Avenue subway, but critics say it's not enough

Second Avenue Subway expansion gets $54M in funds

The Second Avenue Subway expansion received $54M in funding from Gov. Kathy Hochul on Tuesday, but critics say that the money is 'a drop in the ocean' compared to the project's projected $7.7B cost.

NEW YORK - A $54 million infusion by Gov. Kathy Hochul into the Second Avenue expansion means work, which had been halted when she suddenly stopped congestion pricing from happening, will now restart.

Hochul made the announcement on Tuesday.

"People know that my commitment to the Second Avenue Subway is crystal clear. We are moving forward with this," Hochul said.

The funds will be used to relocate underground utilities on a span of Second Avenue from 105th to 110th Streets.

But while it is a crucial part of extending the Q train north of 96th Street to reach 125th Street and Lexington Avenue, it’s a fraction of the $7.7 billion the extension is expected to cost, leading watchdog groups like Reinvent Albany to call Hochul’s announcement "a drop in the ocean."

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Governor Hochul says she paused congestion pricing over concerns about the impact it would have on businesses and drivers during a time when the country is still grappling with high costs and inflation.

"It’s like finding some quarters in the couch cushions," said Rachael Fauss of Reinvent Albany. "It’s a drop in the bucket of what the MTA really needs to make sure all those capital projects can move forward and we can have a functioning transit system."

The MTA was counting on congestion pricing to raise $15 billion for its capital budget and transportation experts point out $54 million won’t do much to plug that hole.

More importantly for the Second Avenue subway, the federal government had promised $3.4 billion to the project, but if the project is in jeopardy, the feds could withdraw the money.

Another equally bad scenario is if Hochul waits until next year’s budget to address the issue, experts say that there could be a new administration in the White House that could opt out of funding the expansion altogether.

If that happens, experts say that the $54 million spent relocating utilities here would have been wasted and should be spent on keeping the existing system in a state of good repair.

Fauss added, "There is a concern that there’s been a waste of resources and time. The more we delay things, the more things cost."