It's been 33 years since the last Second Avenue Subway groundbreaking, so it's high time for new generations of straphangers to revel in the hope of a new subway line. We also expect the public -- especially the Upper East Side-residing public -- to become jaded with construction delays, traffic issues, and noise. Here's the press release from the MTA:

Tomorrow morning's historic groundbreaking ceremony for the Second Avenue Subway can be seen by all New Yorkers live on NY1, beginning at 10:30 a.m. The groundbreaking ceremony will take place in one of the subway tunnels built under Second Ave. in the 1970s but never used. Due to the limited capacity of the tunnel, the MTA arranged for the live broadcast with NY1 and will open its board room at 347 Madison Avenue for members of the public to join MTA staff for a public viewing and celebration. more ›

The year 2030 is in the MTA's sights, as it starts to work on solutions as the city will grow and change. AMNY was at the briefing panel, where director of planning William Wheeler said, "I've never seen a more exciting time in terms of growth in the region." Exciting, yes, but it's also scary when we think about what the MTA will need to do to accomodate for the expected 1.5 million increase in population that's expected in 25 years. more ›

For those who plan on commuting to or from the Upper East Side many years from now, you have something to look forward to - oh, and those of you living along Second Avenue, you might be annoyed - the MTA is getting ready to award a tunneling contract for the Second Avenue Subway's first phase this year, with digging actually starting in 2008, which means there's still time to relocate! Phase 1 of the long-long-gestating project would start at East 96th Street and go down to East 72nd Street, and make a connection to the East 63rd Street tracks. The only thing standing in the way may be Native American villages and burial grounds. The Post reports that the MTA will have archeologists "on hand to halt the massive tunnel-boring machine at the first sign of artifacts dating back hundreds of years." The MTA probably learned their lesson after coming across the big wall in Battery Park while trying to expand the South Ferry station. more ›

- Dr. Zizmor gets zapped, plus musings on favorite local area commercials more ›

And the week in full. more ›

Gothamist on the Second Avenue Subway. more ›