Meeting on Proposed Brooklyn-Queens Connector Monday Evening at St. Francis

By on June 18, 2016 4:46 pm in Cobble Hill, DUMBO, Neighborhoods, Other Brooklyn, Red Hook, Transportation, Vinegar Hil

The Brooklyn Heights Association has notified us of a public meeting, to be held at St. Francis College, the Callahan Center, 182 Remsen Street, this Monday evening, June 20, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., to discuss the proposed Brooklyn-Queens Connector (“BQX”), a streetcar, or if you prefer, trolley,

or, for our British friends, tram, line that would connect Sunset Park in Brooklyn with Astoria in Queens, serving Red Hook, Cobble Hill, Brooklyn Heights, DUMBO, Vinegar Hill, the Navy Yard, Williamsburg, Greenpoint, and Long Island City along the way. The notice from the BHA says the line “would pass through Brooklyn Heights.” A map provided by the Mayor’s office in February appears to show it going east of the Heights, perhaps along Cadman Plaza, while a “sneak peek” at the route from Crain’s, also from February, shows it going below the BQE, probably along Furman Street. Perhaps there will be better information about the route at Monday’s meeting, or perhaps it remains to be decided. Sign up to attend here.

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  • Roberto

    If the route goes along Cadman Plaza West, the tram will compete with lots of other traffic. There are many other questions.

  • bklyn84

    At the bottom of the BQX website the June 20 meeting has a “sign up to attend” link; you can register and they email a ticket to you.

    I don’t know if it’s actually required but I got a ticket thinking it might come in handy if there’s a large crowd that wants to attend.

  • Huh???

    I know this is going to come off the wrong way, but here it goes: WHY would we want to encourage MORE people coming to this little neighborhood??? Not many of us will take it to Queens, so it seems the only benefit is to those wanting an easier way of coming here… And I think we are at capacity. Also – don’t forget they are building that absurd Brooklyn Strand that is going to change quiet little Cadman Plaza Park into a café and event space…

  • Michael

    Another DeBlasio idea going nowhere.

  • Jorale-man

    Keep in mind there used to be streetcars all over Brooklyn before the Robert Moses, car-first era. There was even one on Cadman Plaza East, I believe.

    My take: the current options to go north and south in Brooklyn are pretty meager, and this sounds like it’s being pitched more as a commuter line than something to drive more invading tourists to BH. Also, for Heights residents, it could enable easier trips to Red Hook or Williamsburg, for restaurants, shopping, etc. which currently require much effort. But it’s definitely many years away.

  • bklyn84

    Here’s the route I favor for our general area:

    Assume one is heading north out of Red Hook and Cobble Hill…

    Cut Northeast through the old LICH properties to Atlantic Avenue
    East on Atlantic to Boerum Place
    North on Boerum Place and Adams Street to Sands Street
    East on Sands Street past the Navy Yard

  • JaneonOrange

    I remember in the ’70s going downtown and having to watch your step walking across the old tracks on Jay Street.

  • CHASESGILBERT

    Perfect.

  • bklyn84

    Thanks for the feedback.

    Since I’ve been working on some details this morning I’ll toss them out.

    I expect we’ll also get a chance to suggest stops along our routes. The BQX plan would like to have them about every 0.5 miles.

    I think my route would work well with four stops:

    (1) Atlantic at Hicks
    (2) Fulton at Boerum/Adams
    (3) Tillary at Adams
    (4) Sands at Gold

    Distances would be:
    0.6 mi. from (1) to (2)
    0.3 mi. from (2) to (3)
    0.5 mi. from (3) to (4)

  • Boerum Bill

    Is the R broken? These people made their artisanal, sustainable, wind-powered, pasture-raised, seed-to-savor, organic beds! They can darn well lie in them!

  • Danny K

    I’ve sold monorails to Brockway, Ogdenville, and North Haverbrook, and, by gum, it put them on the map!

  • bklyn84

    Monday night’s meeting was well-attended. I was at a table with three other participants and two NYC reps. Surprisingly, I was the only participant at our table who actually lived in the study area corridor.

    Our table decided to highlight three recommendations to the larger group:
    (1) stay involved and push for a single BQX fare that transfers over to the MTA
    (2) be sure to integrate the BQX into the downtown Brooklyn Tech Triangle and
    (3) be sure to choose a route that will capture the enormous value that’s being created by the development in downtown Brooklyn.

    Notes on general topics:
    (1) NYC has not yet published a financial model for the project
    (2) 10% of NYC public housing residents live in the study corridor (40,000 people out of 400,000)
    (3) “Off wire” streetcars are a priority but some overhead wiring might be needed

    Notes on lessons offered by systems in other cities:
    (1) Norfolk—streetcars interact with traffic but also have some dedicated right-of-way
    (2) Portland—stations blend into streetscape; cars are at grade accessible; good value capture system
    (3) Toronto—large system with many corridor development ideas; good street operations, e.g., snow removal