Accoring to amNewYork Metro the Federal Highway Administration has rejected the City Department of Transportation’s request for funds to redesign and rebuild the “central section” of the Brooklyn Queens Expressway, the 1.5 mile section between Atlantic Avenue and Sands Street that includes the cantilevered stretch below Brooklyn Heights. In December 2022 the DOT revealed three possible plans for a rebuild of the cantilevered section. None drew enthusiastic community response. Later a controversy arose over whether the rebuilt central section would have its original six lanes (three in each direction) or four, to which it had been reduceed while emergency repairs are done. (The feds’ denial of funding does not affect funds for the emergency repairs being done now.)
As the amNewYork story notes, there was substantial community opposition to any plan to rebuild the central section of the BQE in its present location. It quotes Brooklyn Heights Association Executive Director Lara Birnback as calling it “basically a highway expansion project.” She also said she believes “wide community opposition” could have been a reason for the project’s not being granted the requested funding. The story also quotes Mona Bruno of the DOT, who noted it was “common to have to apply for grants multiple times, particularly for a huge project like the BQE.” Ms. Bruno also said the rejection “would not impact the project timeline, which sees construction starting in late 2027 and completion optimistically projected for 2032.”
