The subway turns 122 this Tuesday, and the MTA is using the anniversary to talk about what comes next rather than what came before. In an op-ed published by amNY, the agency’s leadership argues that the best way to honor the system’s history is to keep building on it. The first New Yorkers rode the subway on October 27, 1904, and the piece notes the system has since lasted through 21 mayors and 21 presidents.
The headline item is the Second Avenue Subway. Phase Two, which runs into East Harlem, is described as well underway. The MTA says it will soon award the project’s fourth and final contract, covering the parts riders actually touch: station infrastructure, tracks and architectural finishes. The op-ed frames it as one step closer to long-awaited transit justice for East Harlem.
Looking further west, the MTA credits Governor Hochul with kicking off thinking about the next extension along 125th Street, which the author has been calling “Q West.” The piece is explicit that it’s not a done deal. What is happening is the start of the environmental review, with public scoping sessions to collect community feedback. The first in-person meeting is set for Tuesday, Subway Day, in Harlem, and the MTA says people can register on its website.
The other major announcement came last week. Enabled by congestion pricing, the MTA unveiled what it calls the largest signal and track replacement in its history, at almost $2 billion. It targets signal problems, which the op-ed identifies as the number one cause of subway delays, and covers large stretches of the A and C lines in Brooklyn and Queens.
The fix is a switch away from 1930s-era signals to Communications-Based Train Control, or CBTC. The agency says the system gives a more accurate picture of train locations and speeds, which lets trains run safely closer together. For riders, the promise is faster, more frequent and more reliable service.
The money behind it is the $68 billion 2025-2029 MTA Capital Plan that Governor Hochul delivered. The author jokes that the goal used to be bringing the MTA into the late 20th century, but says the ambitions have grown to building a top-tier 21st-century transit operation. The pitch is that this isn’t only about modernizing infrastructure or adding service, but about giving the next generation more ways to get around the city than the last one had.
The piece is an opinion column from the agency’s own leadership, so the timelines and benefits it describes are the MTA’s own framing, and Q West remains at the scoping stage. For East Harlem and for A and C riders in Brooklyn and Queens, the Subway Day meeting in Harlem on Tuesday is the first concrete chance to weigh in on the next extension.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Q West?
Q West is the proposed extension of the Q subway line along 125th Street in Harlem. It is at the start of environmental review, and the first in-person public scoping meeting is set for Tuesday in Harlem.
What is the status of the Second Avenue Subway Phase Two?
The Second Avenue Subway Phase Two extension into East Harlem is underway, and the MTA is set to award its fourth and final contract, covering station infrastructure, tracks and architectural finishes.
What is the MTA’s nearly $2 billion signal and track replacement?
It is the largest signal and track replacement in MTA history, covering large stretches of the A and C lines in Brooklyn and Queens. It replaces 1930s-era signals with Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC), which the MTA says will allow trains to run safely closer together.
When did the New York City subway first open?
The subway first opened to riders on October 27, 1904. The article notes the system has since lasted through 21 mayors and 21 presidents.
How is the MTA funding these projects?
The projects are funded through the $68 billion 2025-2029 MTA Capital Plan delivered by Governor Hochul. The article notes that congestion pricing enabled the signal and track replacement.
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