A draft rendering of the planned 125th Street terminal for the Q train, part of Phase 2 of the Second Avenue Subway project.
MTA
amNewYork, in conjunction with the MTA, present “Ask the MTA,” a column where MTA officials answer your questions about transit service in New York City. If you have a question for the MTA about subways, buses, commuter rails and more, email askthemta@amny.com.
Q: How does the MTA plan to keep East Harlem residents informed about the ongoing Second Avenue Subway Phase 2 project? — Horatio G., East Harlem
A: We’re determined to be good neighbors through every stage of this historic project, so we’ve been doing a ton of community outreach — even going so far as to open a Community Information Center at 69 East 125th St where residents can learn more about the plans for Phase 2.
MTA staff also regularly attend public meetings in advance of any major work, contract announcements, property acquisitions, or design changes, including quarterly public meetings with Community Board 11 and its Second Avenue Subway Task Force as well as individual meetings with elected officials, agency partners, and other stakeholders like NYCHA and NYC Public Schools.
Notices on work with public-facing impacts are always distributed via eblast and public postings, and we have a Second Avenue Subway Newsletter where subscribers can get updates on progress and community events, like the hiring fair we hosted recently at P.S. 93. – Jamie Torres-Springer, President, MTA Construction & Development
Q: My home station is 145 St. Are there any other stations with platforms that are too short to accommodate the full length of trains? Could they be extended? — Gregory M., Harlem
A: The 145 St station on the 3 line is currently the only station in the system where we can’t open all doors on the trains that operate there. When the line opened in 1904, stations were built for much shorter trains. Over time, most platforms were extended to accommodate the 10-car trains we operate today.
The platforms at 145 St would be difficult to extend because of the proximity of the switch that connects to the 2 line just south of the station and Lenox Yard just north of it. There were proposals to close the station when the 148 St Terminal station opened in the 1960s, but the decision was made to keep it open with its shorter length. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.
The only other similar station in recent memory was the “old” South Ferry station, which couldn’t be extended because of the sharpness of a curve there. That station was replaced by the new South Ferry Terminal that opened in 2009 with its longer—and straighter—platform. – Bill Amarosa Jr., Executive Vice President, Subways, New York City Transit