Neighborhood Chatter: Fulton Street Center Station Receives Funding Boost

The MTA received a welcome surprise March 30 when it was announced that the state's 2012-2013 budget awarded them a robust $770 million toward the MTA's capital plan. The allocation of funds, according to a release by State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, will allow the continued construction of both the Second Avenue subway line and the Fulton Street Transit Center, with remaining money being used to fund current projects such as East Side Access, the extension of the 7 train. The Fulton Street Transit Center is currently on construction hold at the intersection of Fulton Street and Broadway, and its completion would represent a significant transportation achievement, according to Silver. "With this new money from the budget added to the MTA capital plan, we are hopeful that the total completion of this much anticipated project, which will serve as a Grand Central Station for Lower Manhattan, is closer to reality," said Silver. "We are all looking forward to the day when New York's mass transit riders can use and enjoy all the state-of-the-art efficiencies and amenities of this new transit center."