New York City is one of the largest cities in the world and without the subway system it would shut down. The next few years are crucial to the subway because of the many projects that will bring much needed change to the system. However, they need to reorganize what is considered priority and understand how important certain projects are to the city.

In 2015, the 7-train extension to 34 Street and 11 Avenue was an important project but could have been started at a different time. The station was built to coincide with the opening of the Hudson Yards apartment complex. However, the station is finished but much of the area is still under construction. One project to change focus to would be reopening the Cortlandt Street station that ran under the World Trade Center.

Although the station is supposed to be open by next December it could have been opened with the rest of the complex. Instead money was poured into a station that wouldn’t have any real use for months. The World Trade Center complex has been coupled on with the Fulton Street Complex to create a downtown super center.

In reality, these complexes are within two or three blocks of each other and never really needed to be connected. Also, four of the lines at Fulton Street make stops at World Trade Center; it’s a billion-dollar redundancy that isn’t worth it.

Many new projects with the M.T.A. (Metropolitan Transportation Authority) involve Pennsylvania (Penn) Station getting a new addition to the station, Metro North Railroad. East Side Access has a twin called West Side Access. This is the proposal to take Metro North to Penn Station. Not only will it bring more service to the station, but will also make Penn Station a larger transportation hub.

Since Amtrak may be leaving this station to go across the street to the large post office, which will be renamed Moynihan Station, the tracks leading through Penn Station may be free so Metro North can come through. Now the one word that has to be used in this project is...money. The project isn't confirmed to happen but of it is it will need a lot of funding before it can go anywhere.

One major part of the new extension is a station at Co-op City. Metro North has been planning this station for many years because the N.Y.C.T.A. (New York City Transit Authority) has been dangling a carrot in front of them for years… an extension of the 6-train line to Co-op City which would allow Metro North riders another way of getting to Manhattan. One thing that Metro North could do is bring the Hudson line on the Amtrak’s West Side Line.

The line splits from metro North on the Spuyten-Duyvil curve after the Riverdale station. This could have been at least a way to test if the line would be a popular service or a long-forgotten idea. So far, the plans for the Co-op City station are set to be an island platform with two tracks, and are mainly made for trains running along the New Haven Line. Along with the station at Co-op City more stations will be built at Parkchester, Hunts Point, and Morris Park.

The 6 train may be getting some new company with this extension and a new station at Co-op City as well. M. T. A. (Metropolitan Transportation Authority) has released an image showing that the Hudson Line will be extended via Amtrak’s West Side Line and will make two new stops as well. One stop will be called Upper West Side, and the other station will be called W. 125^th Street and will continue on to Riverdale station.

Now for people on the Harlem line, I am glad to say that the Harlem Line extension will meet up with the Hudson Line. Not much else is known about extension, but people soon will. West Side Access is still in the developmental phase, and hasn’t been completely worked out, but when it is New Yorkers are going to have the information they need.

It includes a diamond express service, and a possible extension to Co-op City. M.T.A. (Metropolitan Transportation Authority) hasn't worked out all the kinks yet but the new service should provide many people with a better connection to many subway trains. As a part of M. T. A.’s West Side Access proposal a new station at Co-op City will be built for Metro North trains traveling to Penn Station (West Side Access).

The plan does have some value to it but could be flawed due to the space to put the train station. For Metro North, it will be easy but for the 6 train it will be much more difficult. Since the line is elevated building a new extension can bring about problems, and part of the existing Pelham Bay Park station would have to be destroyed to make the extension even remotely possible.

However, these plans are all speculative for now and will be continued once East Side Access is finished. Many plans of the New York City Subway System could be deemed huge wastes of time but also seem beneficial to the economy of the subway system.