The New York Times is reporting that the April 12 ceremonial groundbreaking on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's new Second Avenue subway cost nearly $89,000. Supporters of the ceremony argue that such an expense was necessary to inform the public about the nature of the transportation system in the city. Others argue that such a cost is excessive in light of cost-saving tactics used to...

In order to win support from state officials for his anti-traffic tax plan, New York City Mayor Bloomberg may agree to fund a larger portion of the Second Avenue Subway, and scrap plans for a Downtown JFK Rail Link. This concession is part of the negotiations over a bill on congestion prices that the Mayor wants to conclude before Memorial Day.

Real estate observers are cautious about the effect that 2nd Avenue Subway construction will have on property values in the neighborhoods adjacent to the new line, whose first phase between 96th and 72nd streets will be finished by 2013. Some analysts have seen a flurry of developer activity along the line, citing a near 10% increase in property value along 2nd Avenue. Others have witnessed a downturn...

The unusual rock, known as Manhattan Schist, which will be excavated in the process of building the Second Avenue Subway could potentially be sold and used for future construction. Other buildings have been built using such material, such as the Cathedral of St. John in Morningside Heights. The MTA is hoping someone will be willing to buy the rock from the current contractor for future use. However,...

With the first phase of the city's construction of the 2nd Avenue Subway underway, motorists, businesses, and pedestrians have already registered their impatience with the construction's toll of their daily lives. A temporary fence has been placed in two of the five lanes of 2nd Avenue between 91st and 98th streets, leading to complaints from local business owners and those who are no longer able...

After the recent groundbreaking on the Second Avenue Subway project, this article by the Economist addresses the financial concerns raised by the project. With funding for the first phase still about $875 million short and finances for the remaining three phases yet to be determined, concerns that the project will not advance past Phase One or that passengers will end up bearing the cost of construction...

The groundbreaking for the Second Avenue Subway line had the monumental task of defeating the symbolism of the failed subway attempts of the past. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) spent nearly $40,000 on the event to do this, crystallizing the memory of the event for the ages. Without ceremonial pickaxes, the cadre of public officials guaranteed success of the $3.8 billion project...

Yesterday's groundbreaking ceremony for the Second Avenue Subway at the southern portion of the rail line where construction attempts in the 1970s failed because of financial woes raised an important question: Will the new construction break the old "curse"? The New York Post likens the inconsistency of Second Avenue Subway construction over time to the famed Curse of the Bambino, a legend from Major...

Groundbreaking for the Second Avenue Subway line was scheduled for this morning at 10:30 a.m., with officials optimistic about the fate of the new line. While previous attempts at building the Second Avenue Subway have failed repeatedly because of financial troubles, officials believe the current plan is more feasible becuase it calls for building the line in smaller phases rather than tackling the...

At this morning’s Second Avenue Subway groundbreaking, the head of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) proposed a new financing solution for the completion of the line; looking for a public-private partnership to help provide funds. While this type of partnership has been used in Texas on public transportation projects, Governor Spitzer stated that it has not been discussed in connection with...