East Harlem is angry that Governor Hochul stopped the subway at Second Avenue

East Harlem residents are frustrated that construction of the Second Avenue Subway has been halted due to Governor Hochul’s decision to delay the implementation of a congestion charge. To them, this is just another broken promise from another politician.

For many Harlem residents, the expansion plans meant more than just a subway line: They were a sign of hope and change in the community.

“You know, it’s not fair,” said Harlem resident Dominique Wilson, one of many angry residents who told Streetsblog they felt like second-class citizens after Governor Hochul’s decision to delay the congestion charge. “When are we going to get something for ourselves?”

Monica Osorio, also a longtime Harlem resident, added that she was simply fed up with the delays in the subway extension.

“This is not right – we need more transportation options here. There are far too many people taking the bus because there are no trains nearby,” said Osorio, who rides overcrowded buses every day.

These overcrowded buses were one of the reasons for the creation of the Second Avenue subway line, a project that dates back to the 1920s. After decades of suspensions and cancellations, three stations at 72nd, 86th and 96th streets actually opened in 2017—and there are plans for three more in Harlem.

Construction on these lines was supposed to begin this year, but in the days after Governor Hochul abolished the congestion toll, the MTA halted construction, citing the huge loss of revenue that the governor’s decision had caused.

Many in the community cannot help but see this decision as a direct attack on low-income people of color. The neighborhood of 128,000 residents has a median household income of about $36,000, which is half the citywide average.

For some residents, the subway line’s closure is similar to another recent loss of a vital service: the closure of the Target in East River Plaza, which had offered locals a cheap alternative as well as good transportation.

“It’s really unfair and I really hope something changes here,” said Harlemite Tanya Cruz, who walks all the way from First Avenue to Lexington Avenue every day with her two children. “It’s really hot outside and it would be nice if there was a train nearby.”

The residents of Harlem are supported by activists from the Riders Alliance, which not only advocates for a city toll but also for the expansion of the subway lines.

“Governor Hochul alone is responsible for the fate of the Second Avenue Subway extension. By ending the congestion charge, the governor has most likely let New York miss out on the largest capital grant the Federal Transit Administration has ever awarded,” said Danny Pearlstein, Policy & Communications Director for the Riders Alliance.

For her part, Governor Hochul distanced herself from the MTA’s decision to halt work on the Second Avenue Subway, telling the Daily News that she was committed to finding funding for this and other MTA capital projects.

However, the governor has not yet stated where the money will come from.