US News
Mamdani administration proposes $4 billion plan to rehabilitate Brooklyn-Queens Expressway
The 10-year project would repair the crumbling triple-cantilever section while diverting traffic to a temporary road on Furman Street.
The short version
- The administration of Mayor Zohran Mamdani proposed a $4 billion, 10-year plan to fix the decaying 1.5-mile triple-cantilever section of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway.
- Vehicles will be temporarily rerouted to a bypass road built on Furman Street alongside Brooklyn Bridge Park during construction.
- The plan protects the Brooklyn Heights Promenade from traffic redirection, though urban planning advocates argue it does not resolve the city's broader reliance on truck freight.
Key facts
- The proposed $4 billion, 10-year project targets BQE Central, a city-owned 1.5-mile section of Interstate 278 that includes the triple cantilever.[Jalopnik]
- Traffic will be redirected to a temporary road constructed on Furman Street next to Brooklyn Bridge Park while repairs are underway.[Jalopnik]
- The plan avoids placing temporary traffic routes on the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, bypassing a conflict point from an earlier proposed solution during the De Blasio administration.[Jalopnik]
- Urban planning and transit advocates criticized the strategy for repairing existing highway capacity rather than pursuing alternative freight infrastructure like rail lines or tunnels.[Jalopnik]
What remains uncertain
- The project's exact implementation timeline, approval process, and final long-term economic impact remain subject to further official review.[Jalopnik]