7 Subway Extension
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The 7 Subway Extension — Hudson Yards Rezoning and Development Program refers to the New York City Metropolitan Transportation Authority's (MTA) plans to extend the IRT Flushing Line, which carries the 7 service, westward from its current terminus at Times Square, adding one new station at 11th Avenue–34th Street (where the Javits Convention Center is located), which would become the line's new terminus. A second new station at 10th Avenue–41st Street will only be partially built to accommodate future expansion and will not provide service under the current 7 line extension plans, due to lack of funding. [1]
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[edit] Hudson Yards Redevelopment Project
The extension, part of the Hudson Yards Redevelopment Project, is intended to aid redevelopment of the west side of Midtown Manhattan around the Long Island Rail Road's Caemmerer Railyard, and was originally proposed as part of the failed attempt to build the West Side Stadium for the New York Jets and the city's bid for the 2012 Summer Olympics. Although the stadium plan was rejected by city and state planning agencies, the 7 subway extension plan is still on the table, as New York political leaders would like to see the warehouse district west of 8th Avenue and north of 34th Street redeveloped, and subway service would be an essential part of that effort. The extension would also serve the newly expanded Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.
[edit] Current status
In August 2006 the MTA announced that all future subway stations, including those built for the Second Avenue subway, the 7 subway extension, and the new South Ferry station, will be outfitted with special air-cooling systems to reduce the temperature along platforms[1].
As of December 2006, the $2 Billion 7 subway extension is funded with New York City funds from municipal Tax Increment Financing (TIF) bond sales that are expected to repaid with property tax revenues from future developments in areas served by the extension.[2] The extension is in the final engineering and design stage; the MTA expected to award contracts for construction by the end of 2006, the first being a $350 million to $400 million contract to tunnel from West 26th Street north to West 41st Street and Tenth Avenue.[3] However, this has not occured.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg's December 12, 2006 address to the League of Conservation Voters noted that in November 2006, the government began issuing bonds to fund the extension of the No.7 subway line to 11th Avenue and 34th Street. Construction is slated to begin in the Summer of 2007, but will most likely not be complete until 2013.[4].
As of February 2007, the 7 subway extension is now in doubt because the city of New York refuses to pay for overruns in the projects costs which could be in excess of $1 billion.[5] The MTA refuses to release construction contracts for the 7 extension until the issue of funding cost overruns is settled with the city.
[edit] Future extension southward
The 7 subway extension will have service tracks that extend to near 23rd Street. These tracks will be used for moving and storing trains. This track segment opens up the possibility that the line could be extended further south to 23rd Street and 11th Avenue to a possible future station to serve the Chelsea section of Manhattan and Chelsea Piers, which has become a popular recreation facility.
[edit] References
- ^ Cooler subways coming - eventually, New York Daily News, August 4, 2006
- ^ City Raises $2 Billion In Bonds For No. 7 Line Extension NY1 - December 07, 2006
- ^ New York's Subway System Finally Starting Major Expansion, newyork.construction.com, May 2006 issue
- ^ NYC Mayor Outlines Long-Term Growth Plan Globe St.com, December 13, 2006
- ^ Money Issues Could Halt 7 Line Extension NY1 - February 14, 2007
[edit] External links
- Metropolitan Transit Authority - The New York agency that runs the subway
- 7 Subway Extension Update - Official MTA 7 Subway Extension Project Page
- Route and Stations of the 7 Subway Line - 7 Subway Route Map and Station Listing
- Where in the World is the # 7 Extension?
- Is the No. 7 still alive and well?
