7 Subway Extension

The "7 Subway Extension — Hudson Yards Rezoning and Development Program" is the New York City Metropolitan Transportation Authority's (MTA) plan to extend the IRT Flushing Line, which carries the NYCS service|7 service, westward from its current terminus at Times Square, adding one new station at Eleventh Avenue–34th Street. A second station at Tenth Avenue–41st Street was dropped from the plans in October 2007, but could be restored if funding can be found. [http://www.ny1.com/ny1/content/index.jsp?stid=5&aid=74957 Transit Board Approves Funding For 7 Line Extension] , NY1, 25 October 2007]

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 NYCS service|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.

Current status

On December 3 2007, the MTA conducted a ceremony at the Times Square subway station marking the launch of construction of the 7 line extension, and as of April 2008, the MTA's contractor is making progress excavating the station adjacent to the Javits Convention Center. Reports in late December 2007 indicate that the postponed 41 Street/10th Avenue station might be partially built if the City of New York and MTA can come to terms on the additional financing for the station shell. [ [http://www.amny.com/news/local/am-mta1221,0,632084.story 7 line extension may get 41st Street stop] ]

In October 2007, the MTA awarded a $1.145 Billion contract to build convert|7000|ft|m of twin-tube tunnel from the current 7 line terminus in Times Square, and the shell of the 34th Street station, to S3, a joint venture of Skanska USA Civil, J.F. Shea, and Schiavone. [http://newyork.construction.com/projects/TopProjects06-08/1-5.pdf] [ [http://www.nyc.gov/portal/site/nycgov/menuitem.c0935b9a57bb4ef3daf2f1c701c789a0/index.jsp?pageID=mayor_press_release&catID=1194&doc_name=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nyc.gov%2Fhtml%2Fom%2Fhtml%2F2007b%2Fpr437-07.html&cc=unused1978&rc=1194&ndi=1] Mayor's Press Release December 3 2007] The 41st Street and 10th Avenue station is not included in the contract award; however, a $450 Million option to build a shell for the station was included as part of the contract, and must be acted on by the city within nine months, if the city wants to have a station shell built as part of the initial contract. After excavating the new terminal's shell and creating the first convert|1000|ft|m of tunnel using the drill-and-blast method, S3 will place two tunnel boring machines in the ground to dig the remaining convert|6000|ft|m; as it digs, the TBM will place precast concrete liner segments to create the tunnel interior.

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. [ [http://www.globest.com/news/801_801/newyork/151373-1.html NYC Mayor Outlines Long-Term Growth Plan] "GlobeSt.com", 13 December 2006] . The $2 Billion NYCS service|7 subway extension is being 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. [ [http://www.ny1.com/ny1/content/index.jsp?stid=5&aid=64913 City Raises $2 Billion In Bonds For No. 7 Line Extension] NY1, 7 December 2006]

One of the physical hindrances to the construction of the extension is the fact that the IND 42nd Street–Port Authority Bus Terminal station was constructed with a lower-level platform, ironic because the lower-level, downtown only platform was built by the IND most likely to prevent the IRT from extending west what is now the 7 train. The now-abandoned platform will have to be partially razed in order for the 7 train extension to be built. [ [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/20/nyregion/thecity/20port.html?ref=thecity "No Whoosh, No ‘All Aboard’"] The New York Times, 20 April 2008]

In September 2007, it was announced that the new station on the line will feature platform screen doors. [ [http://www.ny1.com/ny1/content/index.jsp?stid=1&aid=73389 MTA Plans To Install Platform Doors On 7 Line Extension] , NY1, 8 September 2007] The new station (along with the new South Ferry station on the 1 line) will include special air-cooling systems to reduce the temperature along platforms [ [http://www.nydailynews.com/news/local/story/440633p-371191c.html Cooler subways coming - eventually] , New York Daily News, 4 August 2006] .

In June 2008, construction on the tunnels began along 11th Avenue in Manhattan, work is due to be completed in early 2010s. [ [http://www.ny1.com/ny1/NewsBeats/transit.jsp NY1: Transit ] ]

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.Fact|date=January 2008

References

External links

* [http://www.mta.info/capconstr/7ext/ 7 Subway Extension Update] - Official MTA 7 Subway Extension Project Page (not up-to-date)