Representative Adriano Espaillat Urges Efforts to Expedite Second Avenue Subway Phase II

NEW YORK, NY – Earlier this month, Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) sent a letter to U.S. Federal Transit Administration Associate Administrator Felicia James urging the agency to expedite the Federal Transit Administration’s review of the Second Avenue Subway project Phase II.

Communities in New York have longed for this transit extension since the 1970s, and an expedited review could provide the opportunity for the MTA to enter an FTA Capital Investment Program full funding grant agreement by the end of the year.

“This one-of-a-kind regional transit equity project is a priority for the Northern Manhattan community, and the myriad of socioeconomic benefits that would be presented by this project to working-class Manhattan residents cannot be ignored,” wrote Rep. Espaillat. “Transit agencies around the countries will face severe operating deficits once COVID funds are expended. To ensure the MTA remains solvent, intergovernmental partners are committed to supporting the agency so it can continue to provide vital transit services throughout the region.”

The MTA and community partners have requested an updated letter of intent reiterating the FTA’s intent to commit the $3.4 billion to the Second Avenue Subway Phase II project, as stated in the FTA’s engineering approval letter for the project.

Full copy of the letter to the U.S. Federal Transit Administration is available here.

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