The graphic at right, which circulated around last year, shows the planned downtown section of the Second Avenue Subway in light blue. But what's that in dark blue? Why, it's a crazy dreamer plan for the subway to roll down Avenue B instead of Second Avenue. And while it's going to probably be a few more decades at best, and centuries at worst, before the new subway line even makes it below 42nd Street, the Second Ave. Sagas blog doesn't even want you to think about this kind of crazy change:
The first issue is one of the reality above the ground. Second Ave. is a six-lane road and so is First Ave. Further east though, the avenues narrow as Aves. A, B and C are all four lanes. It would be a near impossibility to run a two-track subway line underneath well-developed four-lane avenues. Furthermore, because the area surrounding Alphabet City and the East Village/Lower East Side are so densely developed, a loop east would have to make a series of very sharp turns on 14th St. — below the L train — and again on whichever avenue were to serve as the north/south route. The engineering would be a nightmare, and the train speeds around these curves would resemble the crawl of the R south of Canal St.Alphabet City: now and forever, 100% subway-free.
· Sending the SAS to Alphabet City [Second Ave. Sagas]
· LES Alternative for Second Ave. Subway [Transport Politic]
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