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The Second Avenue Subway will be New York City’s first major expansion of the subway system in over 50 years. When fully completed, the line will stretch 8.5 miles along the length of Manhattan's East Side, from 125th Street in Harlem to Hanover Square in Lower Manhattan. In addition, a track connection to the existing 63rd Street and Broadway Lines will allow a second subway line to provide direct service from East Harlem and the Upper East Side to West Midtown via the Broadway express tracks.

In all, 16 new stations will be built, serving communities in Harlem, the Upper East Side, East Midtown, Gramercy Park, East Village, the Lower East Side, Chinatown and Lower Manhattan. The new stations will also provide transfers to other subway and commuter rail lines.

All of the stations will have escalator and elevator access including access for the disabled, and will feature climate control features to maximize customer comfort.

MTA Capital Construction is currently building Phase 1 of the Second Avenue Subway. Phase 1 construction extends the train from its current terminal at 57 St – 7 Av to the new 96 St – 2 Av station, via an existing tunnel under Central Park and 63rd St. New subway stations will be located at 72nd St, 86th St and 96th St, along Second Avenue and the Lexington Ave-63rd St. station will be redone.

The completion of this first phase will help to alleviate overcrowding on the between 103rd St and 63rd St, as well as provide easier travel between the upper EastSide, one of the most densely populated areas of the United States, and the west side of Manhattan; with service continuing on into Brooklyn via the existing line.

Construction of Phase 1 began in April 2007 and is scheduled to be completed in 2016.

• 2014 – December – Removal of worker "hoghouse" facility at 87th Street complete.
• 2014 – December – Cavern Mining and Heavy Civil Work completed at 86th Street.
• 2014 – October – 86th Street muck house removal complete.
• 2014 – April – 84th Street muck house removal complete.
• 2014 – February – Removal of worker "hoghouse" facility at 70th Street complete.
• 2014 – January – 69th Street muck house removal complete.
• 2014 – January – Cavern Mining, Tunnels and Heavy Civil Work completed at 72nd Street.
• 2013 – November – Blasting at 86th Street completed, this marks the end of all blasting for Phase 1 of the project.
• 2013 – November – Heavy Civil and Site Work completed at 96th Street.
• 2013 – July – Community Information Center opens at 1628 Second Avenue.
• 2013 – July – 72nd Street muck house removal complete.
• 2013 – June – MTA awards tenth and final contract to build Phase 1 of the project.
• 2013 – February – MTA Awards Contract to Build Second Avenue Subway Station Finishes at 72nd Street.
• 2013 – February – All controlled drill and blast excavation completed at 72nd Street Station.
• 2011 – September – TMB completes its run to the 63rd Street Station.
• 2011 – March – With 65th Street tunnel complete, drilling begins for east tunnel.
• 2010 – May – Completion of Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) launch box.
• 2007 – November – US Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters announces $1.3 billion of federal funding for Phase I of the project.
• 2007 – April – Ceremonial groundbreaking at 96th Street Station.
• 2005 – November – New York State passes Transportation Bond Act, partially funding the construction of the line.
• 2004 – MTA proposes Second Avenue Subway line running from 125th Street to Lower Manhattan.
• 1972 - 1975 Federal funding granted to begin Second Avenue Subway but fiscal crisis in 1975 put project on hold.
• 1939 - 1945 Revised Second Avenue Subway proposal shelved as World War II begins.
• 1929 – First proposal for Second Avenue Subway introduced.