We are live with our panel with @profplotch about building the Second Avenue Subway and lessons for MTA capital investment entering a period of fiscal constraint.

@profplotch notes that the old Second Avenue El was built in 18 months. Building an equivalent subway today takes decades.

Q from @JMartinezNYC: How will the COVID-19 pandemic and economic downturn affect plans to build phase 2 of Second Avenue Subway?

@profplotch classifies Phase 2 as a project that was included in 2020-24 capital program for political reasons - to gain buy-in for the whole thing.

@profplotch Giving the emerging financial crisis, "we are going to have to rethink our priorities."

@nicolegelinas: Confluence of events that led to construction of Second Ave Subway Phase 1 will be very difficult to repeat. Flush times, plus a political bargain to build East Side Access for NY GOP and SAS for NY Dems.

@nicolegelinas: Financial strain on MTA right now is grim. Agency just got permission to borrow $10 billion just to cover operations. Huge challenges ahead if the agency is going to regain solid footing for major capital investment.