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Cuomo: We're Working 'To Make Sure We Hit' 2nd Avenue Subway Deadline
By
Jen Chung
Published Dec 11, 2016
Modified Dec 11, 2016
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Governor Cuomo's office
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By
Jen Chung
Published Dec 11, 2016
Modified Dec 11, 2016
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Following his Friday visit to the 72nd Street station of the future Second Avenue Subway, Governor Andrew Cuomo checked out the progress at the 86th Street station today. In an interview with billionaire and former mayoral candidate John Catsimatidis, Cuomo was upbeat about the long-awaited line opening on time, "We have a few weeks, and if I had to bet, John, and it was even money, I would bet that we make it. We still have a lot of work to do. It’s a complex project. It's a $4 billion project but we're going to give it, we're going to work every day between now and December 31, I can tell you that, to make sure we hit the deadline."
The subway line was initially started in the 1970s but was shelved due to funding issues. Ground was broken again in 2007, and the MTA has hoped that Phase 1 of the project would be complete by the end of the year.
During the interview, Cuomo crowed about how he's trying to improve infrastructure, "[W]e’re sitting on the infrastructure of the ‘50s. So I have made a pointed effort, something I’m really proud of is, bringing New York State to the best development infrastructure to compete economically around the globe. You need an airport that is an internationally renowned airport. You can’t be flying into LaGuardia, which is a disgrace, frankly. You try to move people into Manhattan through mass transit. You bring them through Penn Station, which is like going through the catacombs, right? I mean, you couldn’t have a more miserable experience on the way to work and it’s been that way for decades and no one has even tried to rattle the cage, but we have the most aggressive building program now, probably since Robert Moses."
The Governor proudly said that he's taken a "personal, hands-on approach" to the Second Avenue Subway to make sure it gets done. Here are Cuomo's full remarks about the subway:
Second Avenue Subway, they started talking about it in the 1920s. It started in the ‘70s and then was aborted. Started again in 2007 and it seemed like it was a project that would never end. Sort of in the past year and a half, I’d say, I’ve taken a personal hands on approach, and that’s the only way you get things built, you know as well as I do in the private sector. I used to build apartments, community developments. You have to show up every day. When I was building something, I’d be there seven days a week, and that’s what we’re doing with the Second Avenue Subway. You have to show up. I’ll be there again today. Let the contractors know that you will. The Second Avenue Subway was supposed to be done by the end of this year and there was a move early on. People thought we should probably move the deadline. And I said, “No, we’re going to stick to the deadline and we’re going to work like hell to make it,” and that’s exactly what we’re doing. We have a few weeks, and if I had to bet, John, and it was even money, I would bet that we make it. We still have a lot of work to do. It’s a complex project. It’s a $4 billion project but we’re going to give it, we’re going to work every day between now and December 31, I can tell you that, to make sure we hit the deadline.
Which is all well and good, but Cuomo's promises for MTA funding in the past have been either disappointing, confusing or possibly problematic.
Tagged
governor cuomo
MTA
second avenue subway
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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