The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) held a special groundbreaking ceremony, this morning, to mark the beginning of construction on the first phase of the Second Avenue Subway. The long-awaited Second Avenue subway line — the first major subway expansion in the city in 50 years — was first proposed in the 1920s and has been desperately needed since elevated train lines along the East Side were demolished in the 1940s and 1950s. “This time it’s for real,” said Elliot G. Sander, the MTA’s executive director and CEO. “Second Avenue is the most important mass transit project in the United States. It is critical to support the region’s economic growth and environmental health for the next generation.” The new line will be constructed in four phases, with the first phase being built from 105th St. to 62nd St. and serving as an extension of the Q Line service. A combination of FTA grants and local funds provided by the New York State Transportation Bond Act and the MTA Capital Program will provide the $3.8 billion in funding for the project’s first phase.