Shocker: The Second Avenue Subway Is Behind Schedule And May Not Open On Time
WSJ- Already delayed for decades, the Second Avenue subway line will have to wait at least another month for test trains to run on newly laid tracks as a scheduled December opening date looms, officials said. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority said Monday it would push back “pre-revenue operations training” until Oct. 1. The month’s delay comes as officials and construction crews race to open the line by the end of the year. The delay is the latest issue as the first phase of the Second Avenue project nears completion. MTA officials reported multiple delays related to fabricating elevator cabs needed at underground subway entrances, communications-equipment installation and activation and testing of a police radio system. Kent Haggas, an independent engineer who serves as the MTA’s internal watchdog for capital-project budgets and timelines, said the delays posed a “significant risk” to the Second Avenue subway’s scheduled December opening. “The project is not on schedule, has fallen further behind schedule” since the authority’s June meeting, Mr. Haggas said.
The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world that the Second Avenue subway would one day be finished. It is a myth, a fable, a legend up there with Paul Bunyan and Babe the blue ox. And anyone that believes otherwise is like Ray Finkle’s mom in Ace Ventura. Ray ain’t coming home and the Second Avenue subway will never be finished. Sure there may one day be a subway that runs in the general vicinity of Second Avenue, but it will probably be some bastardization of what was promised for years and years. Think Dr. Dre releasing “Compton” instead of “Detox”. I don’t know what all that construction was the last decade or so, but I’ll just assume that it was done to fuck with the people that lived or owned businesses on Second Avenue a la Chris Christie shutting down the George Washington Bridge for petty ass reasons.
Which brings us to our poll. Which will happen first?