NEW YORK, NY November 09, 2005 —New Yorkers approved a statewide measure to borrow $2.9 billion for transportation projects. WNYC's Beth Fertig has more.

REPORTER: With a big yes from the voters, several major transit projects in New York City are now back on track. The Second Avenue Subway, which has been on hold for decades, would get $450 million and so would East Side Access - a link between Grand Central Terminal and the Long Island Railroad.

Robert Yarrow is president of the Regional Plan Association.

YARROW: I think in 7-8 years from now New Yorkers will be riding on the Second Avenue Subway.

REPORTER: The first phase would go from 96th to 63rd Street. The bond act is expected to trigger billions more in matching federal funds, so long as Albany convinces Washington that New York can come up with enough money to finish the job.

Eliot Sander helped lead the bond act campaign as co-chair of the Empire State Transportation Alliance.

SANDER: This is clearly a green signal to the board of the MTA to proceed on those contracts and my expectation is that's what they will do shortly. We should be able to break ground next year.

REPORTER: Passage of the bond act can trigger billions of matching dollars from the federal government for both the Second Avenue Subway and East Side Access, which would link the Long Island Railroad to Grand Central. But Albany still needs to convince Washington that New York can come up with enough money to finish the job.