BQE rehabilitation plan aims to extend expressway's life by 40 years
BROOKLYN HEIGHTS (WABC) -- New York City has unveiled a long-awaited plan to rehabilitate the aging Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, proposing a pair of temporary bypasses that officials say would allow critical repairs while preserving views from the Brooklyn Heights Promenade.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced the proposal Monday, calling it a solution to one of the city's most pressing infrastructure challenges. The BQE carries roughly 130,000 vehicles daily and includes a deteriorating triple cantilever section that has been the focus of debate for years.
Under the plan, the city would build a temporary two-level bypass below the Brooklyn Heights Promenade while crews repair the triple cantilever stretch between Atlantic Avenue and Sands Street. A second temporary bypass would extend from Columbia Heights over the Brooklyn Bridge approach to the Manhattan Bridge.
City officials say the rehabilitation project would begin construction in 2030, take about 10 years to complete and extend the lifespan of the BQE by approximately 40 years. The price tag is estimated at $4 billion.
In a video announcing the proposal, Mamdani said the plan would allow the city to address the deteriorating roadway without causing major disruptions.
"This plan allows us to safely fix the current problem without slowing our city down and wasting decades more waiting while the BQE continues to get worse," Mamdani said. "This won't be easy. It won't be quick, but we're done waiting on one of the city's most severe infrastructure issues."
The city's Department of Transportation will now begin the environmental review process and community outreach efforts. Informational sessions and public scoping are expected to take place before an Environmental Impact Statement is issued in the summer of 2028.
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