Governor Kathy Hochul announced this week that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Board has approved the largest tunneling contract in agency history for Phase 2 of the Second Avenue Subway, a project that will extend Q train service from 96th Street to 125th Street, bringing long-awaited transit access to East Harlem.

The $1.972 billion tunnel contract, awarded to Connect Plus Partners a joint venture of Halmar International and FCC Construction, marks the second of four major construction packages that will deliver Phase 2 of the Second Avenue subway that when completed will provide three new ADA-accessible stations at 106th, 116th, and 125th Streets. Crews will bore a new tunnel between 116th and 125th Streets—up to 120 feet below ground—while also excavating the future 125th Street Station. Work will begin later this year, with heavy civil construction expected to ramp up in 2026 and tunnel boring operations starting in 2027.

GZ is proud to serve as the Sequential Excavation Method (SEM) Tunneling Lead for the 125th Street Station and the cross passages, as part of the AECOM-HNTB Joint Venture providing Program and Construction Management (PMCM) services. Our team will play a critical role in delivering one of New York City’s most complex underground infrastructure projects, applying our tunneling expertise to help the MTA realize this long-promised extension.

Phase 2 of the Second Avenue Subway is scheduled to open for revenue service in 2032. Once complete, the extension will serve more than 110,000 daily riders, shorten commutes by up to 20 minutes, and create improved connections to the Lexington Avenue Line, Metro-North Railroad, and M60 Select Bus Service to LaGuardia Airport.

For East Harlem—a community where 70 percent of residents rely on public transit—the project represents a transformative investment in equity, mobility, and economic opportunity.

We are proud to be part of this historic project and congratulate everyone involved on reaching this important milestone.

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Rendering of 125th Street Station entrance (Courtesy of MTA)

Rendering of 125th Street Station entrance with respect to 4,5,6 trains (Courtesy of MTA)