It has to do with the fact that “[a]t $2.5 billion per mile, construction costs for the 1.8-mile Phase 1 of the Second Avenue Subway were 8 to 12 times more expensive than similar subway projects in Italy, Istanbul, Sweden, Paris, Berlin and Spain”[0], repeated for every activity they undertake.

[0] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-02-23/in-nyc-su...