The post MTA completes blasting for Second Avenue Subway Line appeared first on Metro.us.

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  MTA completes blasting for Second Avenue Subway Line

The final blast, finishing the work clearing space for a future elevator entrance, occurred at approximately 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 28, the MTA said.

Drilling and blasting for the 72nd Street Station began on January 18, 2011.

Its completion has come through the work of nearly 500 laborers working 24 hours a day, five days a week.

They removed a total of 183,000 cubic yards of rock, which the MTA said is the equivalent to the volume covered by 500 city avenue blocks 10 feet high, or more than half the Empire State Building.

The Second Avenue Subway line will extend the Q line, and is the largest expansion of the subway system in generations, according to the MTA. The subway line will have new stations at 72nd Street, 86th Street and 96th Street, and is expected to open in December 2016. The MTA estimates its cost at $4.45 billion.

Follow Danielle Tcholakian on Twitter @danielleiat

The post VIDEO: Blasting complete at 72nd Street Second Avenue Subway Station appeared first on Metro.us.