BQE “Boondoggle”: Bad and Good News

By on December 18, 2023 11:47 pm in 11201, BQE rehab, brooklyn bridge park, Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn Heights Association, DUMBO, Environment, Fulton Ferry Historic District, Government, Health, Kids, Neighborhoods, News, Other Brooklyn, Parents, Pets, Streets, Traffic, Transportation

Mary Frost’s Eagle story contains what she calls some “chilling” information about the City Department of Transportation’s and Mayor Adams’s plans for the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway beyond the urgent repair work now underway. The bad news for Brooklyn Heights is that these plans would include demolition of the Brooklyn Heights Promenade (although it would eventually be replaced by “something bigger and better”) and temporary removal of the bridge that carries Columbia Heights over the BQE, along with the Harry Chapin Playground and part of Squibb Park. This would eliminate direct access by foot, bicycle or auto, from the Heights to the Fulton Ferry District, DUMBO, and the northern parts of Brooklyn Bridge Park, including the new skating rink and Jane’s Carousel. It would also deny Heights dog owners any practicable access to the Hillside Dog Park. The purpose of this is to create clearances that would accommodate larger trucks (although ones that would supposedly comply with the now enforceable weight limits, presuming those limits, which could protect a rebuilt BQE from future damage, would remain in effect).

The good news is that we have allies. Communities all along the BQE to our north and south, as Ms. Frost reports, have a common interest in avoiding the increased air pollution and noise from an expanded BQE. We also have allies in the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy, Borough Hall, the City Council, and the State Senate and Assembly. The national Public Interest Research Group has, responding to a nomination by the Brooklyn Heights Association, included the proposed expansion of the BQE among its “Highway Boondoggles of 2023.” A newly formed group, the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway Environmental Justice Coalition, has sent an open letter to Governor Kathy Hochul with this request:

We urge your office and agencies to work together to (1) release any recently submitted grant applications for federal funding, and (2) create a comprehensive community-led plan centered on racial justce and equity that addresses the environmental and health impacts of air pollution, reconnects our communities, and meets our climate targets.

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  • Nomcebo Manzini

    2 thoughts – You don’t have to be a genius to know that anybody who gets elected Mayor OWES a lot of people, and if s/he hopes for a 2nd term, the temptation to pay them back and then hit them up again is enormous.

    When the Mayor is as close to AMORAL as Adams is … and says with a straight face that God wants him to be our Mayor, you KNOW! how it’s going to play out.

    In this town, builders and contractors and the Corcorans and quite a few blue collar workers COULD CARE LESS about air quality. Those big trucks and construction equipment spell M-O-N-E-Y, and Adams isn’t wrong in thinking that Cobble Hill and the Heights aren’t going to be a source of many votes for him next time around. That ship sailed a year or more back.

    The other thing is a minor quibble with the geographically challenged author (frequently) of this piece – lucky to live in “Central Heights.” NOBODY will have a longer trip to Jane’s Carousel or the new skating rink if Adams’ plan comes to pass.

    But that is cold comfort. We read that Nero fiddled while Rome burned. Adams is hardly alone in putting the short-term and his own self-interest ahead of our planet staying livable in the decades after he’s laid to rest.

  • Jorale-man

    I find it difficult to keep up with the latest wrinkles and revisions of this ongoing plan – which is probably what Adams wants: neighborhood residents to be too distracted or confused while his administration is slipping through a plan that no one wants.

    Props to the existing reporting on this and let’s hope that the NY Times and other national outlets pick up the story too. We need a brighter light shining on it.

  • Sweeties

    I told you the removal of the bridge on Columbia Heights would factor into the plans eventually.
    Adams will never get a 2nd term.

  • clarknt67

    I had the same thought that Columbia Heights to old Fulton is no longer, probably shorter route to north park than the footbridge, albeiet less pleasant stroll.

  • clarknt67

    He doesn’t deserve a second term but I am afraid the machine will deliver.

  • Andrew Porter
  • http://selfabsorbedboomer.blogspot.com/ Claude Scales

    By “footbridge” I presume you mean the one from Squibb Park to Brooklyn Bridge Park. If the Columbia Heights bridge is taken down, there will be no access from the North Heights to Squibb Park; hence no access to the footbridge. The BQE plan involves taking part of Squibb Park, presumably the southern part. This would involve taking down the footbridge.

    It may still be possible to get to Fulton Ferry and the northern part of Brooklyn Bridge Park via Joralemon Street and the Park, so long as construction doesn’t close access to the Park via Joralemon.

  • A Neighbor

    This is a total outrage – by an utterly incompetent mayor. Good to see that all groups and pols, outside Adams’ chosen few, oppose it. We need to get DC pols onboard – that means Schumer and Goldman – so there is no chance of DC funding it.

  • Nomcebo Manzini

    I certainly agree with you that it’s a terrible plan – that the “promenade” is on the chopping block again makes one despair! – but I’m afraid that a significant part of the opposition either doesn’t think there’s imminent danger between Atlantic & Sands … or is so committed to trying to reduce vehicular traffic that they will oppose ANY plan “on principle” that fortifies or re-builds any highways.

    We shouldn’t do something stupid just because the Fed. Govt. will pay for part of it, but Adams is not wrong that the City’s financial position is heading in the wrong direction. Hoping that the Feds say, “We CAN spend those $billions in WV, y’know” is really pretty nutty.

    Remember, Brooklyn makes next to nothing in 2023 – but “needs” what’s on 100s of BQE trucks each day. The future belongs to EV’s, plus slow-moving traffic is MORE pollutive. Isn’t it possible that the DOT’s motivation is to save a year or 2 or more on the project (and quite a bit of City money, too?)

    Last, some of those Fed. $ will almost surely go toward capping part of the trench South of us, and that would NEVER happen in its absence.

  • A Neighbor

    First, if we had a mayor whose first priority was running the city well, he would look into alternate ways of transporting goods. Most foreign shipments come into the port of Newark, suggesting that they could be transported to the city by barge as well. Barge operators, however, say the city has shown no interest in setting up receiving facilities, despite their pleas.

    Second, over 75% of the traffic on the BQE, night and day, is cars. Look at it. People on Long Island and New Jersey should not be driving cars into the city. Most have, or can reach, perfectly good public transportation. For people in Queens, which is ill-served by subways, a progressive mayor would be building parking lots near subway and bus stations.

  • Effective Presenter

    There must be a better way.

    This plan is a disaster.

    We would like the Brooklyn Heights Promenade to be landmarked then proceed with BQE, Promenade repairs, etc.

    It appears best that Mayor Ewic Adams continue to kick the can down the street for the next administration.