Subway Construction Updates

Sam Schwartz engineering recently released a schedule for Second Avenue subway construction through May 10.

Work surrounding the 96th Street Station includes the restoration of pavement and sidewalks between East 99th and 100th streets, starting May 11. Between East 97th and 99th streets, workers will be installing a 12-inch water main and excavating and installing a 30-inch gas main and splice boxes. Traffic will switch to the north side of East 97th Street to accommodate a gas main crossing. The excavation of a storm drain and backfilling of a sewer trench is also scheduled. Read more

Mole Men and the Second Avenue Subway

East Siders have put up with the blasting and bulldozing, now add a 22 foot cutter that will bore the tunnel used to make the Second Avenue Subway line.
Ben Heckscher at The Launch Box has all the details on the Main Gripper, a device that looks like something out of Attack of the Mole Men. Read more

Subway Construction Raises Blasting, Rodent Questions

Residents were looking for answers about several issues that have recently arisen surrounding Second Avenue subway construction, but the MTA was not there to hear their questions. Complaints about loud blasting during evening hours, rats and a plan to temporarily relocate residents from 28 apartments went unanswered at the March 24 meeting of Community Board 8’s Second Avenue subway task force. Read more

Blasting After 8 p.m.

As Our Town reported March 18, residents of the East 90s have recently complained that blasts associated with subway construction have gotten louder and occurred during the evening.
The MTA acknowledged that there was a new kind of blasting, which is needed for the excavation of the starter tunnels, but spokesperson Kevin Ortiz insisted that, “nothing has gone on past 8 p.m.”

Well, the Launch Box blog captured this footage of a March 19 blast at about 8:45 p.m., on the southwest corner of East 92nd and Second Avenue. Read more

Change in Subway Blasting Rattles East Siders

Residents along Second Avenue have been accustomed to blasting during subway construction. But while the noise was minimal and kept to a low rumble during the day, blasts have been getting louder and happening during the evening, according to residents of the East 90s.

“Before it was like a firecracker,” said a local resident who declined to give his name. “Now it’s a whole box of firecrackers in one shot.”

Chris Henry, who lives on the corner of East 92nd Street and Second Avenue, also used the word “firecracker” to describe the blasting, adding, “It’s almost like a truck plowing through the street.” Read more