The Board of the New York Metropolitan Transport Authority approved on August 18 a $ 1.97 billion design creation contract to begin the tunnel and construction of Shell from the station for the long -awaited phase 2 of the second avenue in Manhattan, lengthening the service to the north to Harlem East with three new stations and a projected completion in 2032.
The prize was at Connect Plus Partners, a joint company of Halmar International and FCC Construction, after a competitive hiring against Skanska Walsh Treylor SAS-2 JV. The contract of 1,471 days covers the boring twin tunnels from 120 street to 125 street, rehabilitating a tunnel built in the 70’s south of 120 street, excavating seven axes for entrances to auxiliary stations and installations and construction of shells of the stations on 116 and 125 streets.
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“This is the largest tunnel contract that MTA has granted,” said MTA President and CEO Janno Leiber during his special meeting on August 18 in Harlem. “It is a damn good investment, so far the lowest cost of pilot of any heavy railway project in the United States.”
Area of the contract, reduction of risks and impacts of the community
Leiber’s president and MTA Construction & Development, Jamie Torres-Springer, emphasized that phase 2 was structured to avoid phase 1 obstacles, which opened in 2017 after years of cost delays and expenses. “Unprecedented steps have been taken to ensure that things that slowed phase 1 do not slow phase 2,” said Leiber.
Extensive geotechnical surveys and early relocation contracts have already been completed. “In phase 1 we saw that the built cuts were not so built,” he said. The crews repeatedly struck public services and construction embedded. “This preparatory and research work has been done first: great savings and a reduction in risk.”
The agency also moved to control the financial risk through insurance. The Council authorized the use of a homeowner controlled insurance program, which officials said would save about $ 29 million compared to the traditional coverage provided by contractors. Performance and payment bonds are also required to protect the project against the defect and ensure that subcontractors are paid. The workers’ compensation, the risk of builders and other insurance components will be treated by the MTA, according to Torres-Springer.
More than 30 alternative technical concepts were approved during the hiring, reducing the risk and cost, while the CONNECT PLUS Postner candidacy reached almost $ 200 million below its opponent. The losing team will receive a stipulation of $ 4 million.
In order to complete Harlem’s extension, the agency authorized the use of eminent domain if negotiations fail. Torres-Springer said that the transfers would be about half of phase 1: “We are committed to ensuring a generous transfer attendance, far above federal requirements,” he said, emphasizing that tenants had received a warning for more than 90 days. The old site of a 125 street supermarket has already been purchased by the MTA and will be redeveloped in mixed income homes with integration tickets.
The contract also establishes a local contracting goal of 20% with learning linked to the City College in New York and the Charles B. Rangel Infraestructure Workforece Initiative. “This contract has this ambitious local contracting goal of 20% to make sure that we connect East Harlem residents to the opportunity,” said Torres-Springer. The state senator Cordell Cleare urged the agency to go further, saying “30% should be the flat.”
Torres-Springer told the council that tunnel work will proceed with the new labor efficiency negotiated with the union that manages the tunnel work, Local 147, also known as Sandhogs. Technological improvements over the last decade also helped. In phase 1, the TBM had a crew of 26, with 10 to 12 additional employees installing the tunnel coating behind the machine. The new TBM of variable density of the most recent model that will be used in phase 2 installs the tunnel coating as it progresses, eliminating the need for the second crew. “We are not only bored the tunnel, but the same machine behind is the tunnel with prefabricated concrete,” said Leiber. “This is how you really save.”
Phase 2 base budget is $ 6.99 billion, and financing costs contributed total to $ 7.7 billion. A complete financing grant agreement of $ 3.4 billion with the Federal Government supports the project, while congestion price revenue will support the state contribution. With 110,000 riders daily projected for the extension and 300,000 for the combined line, MTA officials defend the high cost per mile, about $ 3.5 billion more than 1.8 miles, compared to colleagues in the United States due to the profits of density -driven balls. “By far, the lowest cost of pilot of any heavy railway project in the United States,” said Leiber.
Political support and calendar
New York Governor, Kathy Hochul (D), who attended the Council’s meeting, framed the prize as a historic. “For the people of Eastern Harlem, the time of the promises is over,” he said. “Almost 80 years since they demolished the high railway, this community finally obtains the metro service it deserves.”
Hochul linked the project to the income of the MTA for Baix Manhattan and the MTA’s largest $ 68.4 billion capital plan, and accredited Senator Chuck Schumer (D-ny) and representative Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) to direct federal funds through Washington.
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The construction is expected to begin at the end of this year, with the TBM immediately ordered and launch by 2027. The revenue service is aimed in September 2032, with new stations on 106, 116 and 125 streets, including the link to the Harlem 125th Stance Metro-Nort.
“This is a project on equity, mobility and economic growth,” said Leiber. “We are not only extending a subway, but we connect a community again.”
