Where were the construction unions, numerous city elected officials and Al Sharpton when the Second Avenue Subway was sinking in Albany over the past several months?

These characters have come out in force to back the West Side stadium plan and Mayor Bloomberg’s claims that the project will mean a big boost to employment in NYC. The mayor has changed his stadium tune recently from "Olympics" and "tax revenue" to "jobs." "Keep in mind that what this is about is jobs, jobs, jobs," the mayor told reporters the day the MTA approved the sale of West Side yard development rights to the NY Jets.

But the Second Ave Subway and its companion project, the connection of the LIRR to Grand Central Terminal, would be far greater economic engines. Yet they were quietly de-funded in Albany during this year’s NY State budget negotiations with barely a whimper from the construction-jobs crowd.

The NY Times recently compared the mayor’s assertion that the stadium would create 7,500 new permanent jobs with those put out by NYS (3,110), the NYC Independent Budget Office (3,791) and the Jets (6,791). The article noted that the Jets figure is more than the combined job rolls for Giants Stadium, Javits Center and Madison Square Garden. The city says the discrepancy is due to methodology and differing estimates of special events to be held at the new facilities.

Estimates of the project’s construction jobs also differ. The Jets say 4,500 per year over a few years; the state 3,188; and the IBO puts the figure at 2,880.

The Second Ave Subway and LIRR-Grand Central link are bigger projects that would mean far more construction jobs than the stadium, but their future is now in doubt. The MTA said it needed close to $8 billion in 2005-2009 to move the projects forward, but Albany has only authorized $2.5 billion — not enough to advance either project very far, let alone both of them — and even that is partially dependent on voter approval of a transportation bond act this fall. Bloomberg said next to nothing about this colossal deferral, which could drag on into terminal delay and large-scale failure.

The projects would also mean far more for the city and regional economy than the stadium.

A 1999 report for the American Public Transit Association found that in the short run, 314 jobs are created for each $10 million in mass transit capital expenditure. In transit-dependent NY, the number could be even higher. Other studies also show that business efficiency and profitability increases when corporate locations are near mass transit. A Federal Transit Administration study shows that a 1% increase in "mass transit presence" results in $3 billion in annual economic benefits.

MTA studies for LIRR-Grand Central and the Second Ave. Subway show that the regional transit system does not have the capacity to accommodate the region’s forecasted job, population and travel growth. In other words, by letting these projects slide, the city is shooting itself in the foot by failing to create transportation capacity needed to support economic growth. The Regional Plan Association estimates the completed Second Ave. subway would create 70,000 general and construction jobs and add $14.4 billion yearly to the gross city product. 

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