BOOK

Second Avenue Subway: Building New York City’s Most Famous Thing Never Built

The incredible story of New York’s newest subway line, diving deep into the challenges that stood in its way—spanning politics, engineering, community relations, technology, and even unexpected geology. It tells how the project was finally completed through the grit and determination of everyone involved, from union workers toiling in subterranean muck, to project engineers from storied construction firms, and all the way up to the governor of New York. Second Avenue Subway is a powerful vehicle for engaging the public’s interest in large-scale infrastructure projects that demand cooperation and trust among multiple and often-divergent stakeholder groups. This is vitally important today, when trust in institutions is suffering and Americans’ belief in our ability to “get big things done” is waning. 

Written by Dan McNichol with Bill Goodrich

Photographs by Patrick Cashin