Blasting Operations Now Complete

The MTA announced today that blasting operations for Phase 1 of the Second Avenue Subway Project are now complete.

The final blast, which concluded the excavation for an entrance located on the north side of 86th Street and 2nd Avenue, took place on Monday, November 18, 2013 at 5:21 p.m.

Controlled blasting operations began on November 4, 2009, with the first blast at the 96th St. station cavern site. Controlled blasting was used in the construction of all of the cavern excavations for underground structures for the new subway stations at 72nd, 86th, and 96th streets.

After enduring four years of intermittent blasting under Second Avenue, neighborhood residents are without a doubt happy that this part of the construction effort is now complete.


Here are two videos of actual blasts from the project:


"Blasting on Second Avenue"
The Launch Box Blog
3/19/10



Second Avenue Subway - 8/2/2012 Update
Metropolitan Transportation Authority

Here's a listing of the recent additions
to the right-hand column of The Launch Box:

Second Avenue Subway Reaches Major Milestones
MTA Press Release
11/22/13

Underground / Aboveground: Touring the Second Avenue Subway Community Information Center
By Cassim Shepard and Daniel Rojo
Urban Omnibus - 11/22/13

::

MTA Second Avenue Subway Newsletters
Volume XIX, November 2013

Lex Av/63rd St Station Area

72nd St Station Area

86th St Station Area

96th St Station Area

Underground at 86th Street

Progress continues under Second Avenue, blasting or no blasting.

The pictures that follow, which were provided by the MTA, were taken about a week ago inside the 86th Street station cavern.


Metropolitan Transportation Authority / Patrick Cashin
10/26/13



Metropolitan Transportation Authority / Patrick Cashin
10/26/13



Metropolitan Transportation Authority / Patrick Cashin
10/26/13



Metropolitan Transportation Authority / Patrick Cashin
10/26/13



Metropolitan Transportation Authority / Patrick Cashin
10/26/13


Additional images from this set can be found on this link:
Second Avenue Subway - October 2013
MTA

Here's a listing of recent additions
to the right-hand column of The Launch Box:

"Managing Subway Construction: The Mechanics of a Megaproject"
MTA Second Avenue Subway
Community Information Center Event on 11/7/13

"Where is the Second Avenue Subway going"
By Dana Rubinstein
Capital - 10/23/13

CB8 SAS Construction Update
MTA Capital Construction - 9/30/13

Video: "The Second Avenue Subway" (4:11)
By Shelby Holliday
Channel One News - 10/8/13

"No Heel Hazards (or Gusts) as Subway Expands"
By Sam Roberts
The New York Times - 10/1/13

Photos: The 2nd Avenue Subway's Progress
By Evan Bindelglass
Gothamist - 9/25/13

Video: SAS Community Information Center Opens
Transit Transit Newsmagazine - 9/13

FTA Technical Memorandum No. 11

::

MTA Second Avenue Subway Newsletter
Volume XVIII, October 2013

Lex Av/63rd St Station Area

72nd St Station Area

86th St Station Area

96th St Station Area

Off Topic
City Water Tunnel No. 3 Goes Live

Most people probably don't realize it but the Manhattan portion of City Water Tunnel No. 3 was finally put into service last month, after 43 years of construction.

Here are two stories on this largely unnoticed by very significant milestone:

"After Decades, a Water Tunnel Can Now Serve All of Manhattan"
By Matt Flegenheimer
The New York Times
10/16/13

"In An Artificial Cave 200' Beneath Central Park with Michael Bloomberg"
By Geoff Manaugh
GIZMODO
10/16/2013
(You'll find lots of great pictures in this posting.)