An MTA Success Story: New South Ferry Station Nearly Ready

[Photo: Second Ave. Sagas]

An MTA project that is fully-funded, noncontroversial and nearly complete? It exists, and it's down in Lower Manhattan, where the new South Ferry station is set to open sometime next month. The last stop on the No. 1 train is officially in the pre-buzz phase, with the Times and Second Avenue Sagas dedicating some serious ink to the new station. It sits beneath the old South Ferry station, a century-old dungeon that was targeted for replacement post-9/11 (the feds picked up $420 million of the $527 million tab).

The tricked-out new South Ferry has more tracks, full-length platforms (the "you must be in the first five cars in order to exit at South Ferry" announcement will soon be dead), and some high-tech gizmos?including those smart escalators that automatically speed up and slow down. Stylish touches include the trees seen above, and a 20-foot-wide mosaic map of Manhattan's original topography overlaid with a modern view of the city. Snazz! For a touch of the old, Second Ave. Sagas has a photo of the 350-year-old Battery wall that crews came across while working on the station a few years back. The old rocks will be on display (new Lower Manhattan photo op!) when the station opens.
· At the Last Subway Stop, a New Exit Strategy [NYT]
· Inside the new South Ferry terminal [Second Ave. Sagas]
· South Ferry Subway Station [LowerManhattan.info]