August 4, 2021
NEW YORK— Mayor Monthly bill de Blasio and Division of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Hank Gutman these days unveiled a thorough approach to lengthen the lifetime of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE) cantilever for at least another 20 several years, though reimagining the corridor for a very long-time period long term with a lot less reliance on big, diesel vehicles. The four-component prepare focuses on preserving the composition executing quick and ongoing maintenance increasing checking and enforcement and creating a extended-time period, local community-based eyesight for the whole corridor.
“We have the know-how, the suggestions, and the know-how to conserve the BQE, and we’re fired up to execute this program. But which is just the commence,” explained Mayor Invoice de Blasio. “New York Town can do extra than patch up a highway in have to have of restore – we can use this possibility to rethink how persons, goods, and companies shift about our town. I glance forward to primary that approach, and conclusions fresh techniques to use this resource to establish a extensive-term restoration for all of us.”
“Repairing and restoring the BQE usually takes creative imagination, ingenuity, and really hard perform, and I’m proud to lay out a prepare that depends on just that,” stated Deputy Mayor for Functions Laura Anglin. “This plan will maintain an crucial section of our city’s infrastructure for decades to arrive, and I glimpse forward to imagining creatively about its long term.”
“This strategy is built to handle latest security and structural considerations about the 70-year previous roadway, though reimagining not only its potential function, but how freight is moved in this town in the 21st century,” stated DOT Commissioner Hank Gutman.
“To travel economic development, we should devote in sustainable roadways, and lower our reliance on diesel vans to transport goods,” reported New York City Financial Enhancement Corporation President and CEO Rachel Loeb. “Tens of hundreds of New Yorkers depend on the BQE, and getting old infrastructure and truck congestion have been very long-standing troubles. NYCDOT’s approach will perform to deal with wanted servicing and repairs to make the expressway safer and will make it possible for for commerce to transfer more successfully, serving to our city’s corporations and people. NYCEDC will continue to aid the town in its extensive-time period eyesight to also simplicity truck congestion with h2o and rail remedies, which will lower targeted traffic and hazardous emissions.”
The mayor’s program characteristics four important aspects:
Preserving the Framework
DOT has determined new ways to present at minimum two additional many years of everyday living on the BQE from Sands Street to Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn. These methods include things like:
Halting drinking water infiltration
Preservation procedures will end drinking water infiltration to sluggish down corrosion. These procedures will mitigate the intrusion of drinking water into the composition by addressing the joints, improving upon drainage, and reintroducing waterproofing. This exertion will be combined with arduous, ongoing routine maintenance.
Shifting lane markings
- Commencing on August 30 and as proposed by the Professional Panel convened by the City in 2019, DOT will shift lane markings on the BQE together a half-mile phase (about from Atlantic Ave to the Brooklyn Bridge) from a few lanes in each and every course to two. DOT will change existing pavement markings of a few sub-standard width lanes with two wider lanes and a shoulder, which will also enable for enhanced entry lanes at Atlantic Avenue. This will lessen fat together a significant segment of the structure, make the roadway safer, and decrease delays brought on by breakdowns and collisions.
Monitoring and handling targeted visitors
- DOT will launch a complete targeted traffic management and monitoring strategy, as effectively as a neighborhood safety system to lessen disruption to motorists and close by residents.
- The City will install “weigh-in-motion” technologies to mechanically fine obese vehicles, which put undue pressure on the framework. The NYPD has already improved pounds enforcement in latest months summonses have amplified up to five-fold due to the fact February.
- Once for each thirty day period, NYPD will surge enforcement even further more, with extra units raising endeavours over various times at a time.
Quick and Ongoing Maintenance
- DOT will total its ongoing concrete and rebar repairs on the Hicks Avenue retaining wall this 12 months. Perform on two deck spans demonstrating more rapidly symptoms of deterioration will begin upcoming year.
Increasing Checking
- The City has set up sensors along the BQE to consistently check the structure’s wellness. Preliminary final results will be accessible later on this summer time comprehensive effects must be offered by next spring. These sensors will offer a authentic time picture of how the framework is behaving under visitors.
Establishing a Long-Term Vision
- In the course of the summertime and tumble, the City will interact affected communities from Staten Island to Queens, like corporations and the freight industry, on a corridor-vast vision for the extended-time period long run of the BQE.
- As mentioned in Offering New York: A Wise Truck Management Approach for New York City, the Town will much better regulate the past leg of the freight source chain, particularly during the most congested occasions of day, by incentivizing off-hour deliveries, freight consolidation, and cargo bike deliveries. The plan also outlined strategies the Town will promote and incentivize the use of safer, cleaner motor vehicles and technological know-how by expanding the NYC Clean up Truck Program.
- By performing with freight and distribution companies, the City can make major shifts from truck to water or rail motion of merchandise (up to 20 million truck miles eliminated every year) to diminish congestion and superior air good quality.
“Brooklyn’s only interstate highway, the BQE-278 corridor will price tag billions to repair service, reimagine and swap, and federal infrastructure funding will be critical. But we have to get it right. Shopping for time now — by building required repairs, lessening the major loads and placing in position ongoing monitoring to make certain it continues to be protected — is essential as we engage communities together the corridor to discover the best solutions for a 21st Century alternative. I want to thank the Mayor and DOT Commissioner for a route forward, and my point out elected colleagues Assemblywoman Jo Anne Simon and Senator Brian Kavanagh for laws to enforce over weight truck procedures and to commence a new governance product to guarantee greater point out, town and federal collaboration on the process of reworking the BQE. We all have to have to function collectively to change how freight is moved. We can build on strategies for lighter extra environmentally helpful vehicles and consider edge of the USDOT MARAD-specified East Coastline Marine Highway to improve waterborne possibilities and create inexperienced ports and rail connections which will go a lengthy way in environmental and infrastructure dividends. Federal government have to work jointly at all amounts to make it happen and I want to thank the Metropolis for initiating the collaboration across agencies and degrees of authorities,” stated Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez.
“I applaud DOT for having instant actions to ensure the security of motorists on the speedily deteriorating BQE, in line with the Council’s recommendations. When these measures to prolong the everyday living of the structure are required in the limited expression, it is important that the Town and Condition operate jointly to produce a eyesight for the foreseeable future that works for the several affected communities along the whole length of the freeway. I look ahead to assessing the department’s proposal for a long expression remedy for the BQE corridor,” explained Council Speaker Corey Johnson.
“I applaud Commissioner Hank Gutman and his colleagues at DOT for establishing this comprehensive, considerate system and Mayor Invoice de Blasio for committing to implement it,” said Senator Brian Kavanagh. “Extending the handy life of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, whilst making sure the basic safety of motorists and passengers of cars that use the roadway, will permit time for the Town, Condition, and federal governments to build a extended-term solution to this crucial route that reflects New York’s evolving transportation requires and greater serves the communities together the BQE corridor. I am delighted that the City’s prepare embraces ‘weigh-in-motion’ know-how, which Assemblywoman Jo Anne Simon and I handed laws to authorize, to enforce laws towards obese vehicles that are unsafe to other drivers and lead to undue strain on the framework. I anticipate that at the time correctly deployed right here, weigh-in-movement enforcement and other facets of the plan introduced now will provide as a product for other roadways in New York and all-around the state.”
“I’m pleased that we are ultimately committing to repairing the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE) triple cantilever while also actively scheduling a vastly safer, smarter, and far more sustainable Brooklyn I-278 corridor for the communities by way of which it passes,” claimed Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon. “It is a reduction that the worst sections of the roadway will get a great deal-necessary repairs letting for the time necessary to envision and establish the coherent solution to the corridor that I have advocated for for decades. A important piece of prolonging the lifetime of the roadway is using the enforcement of overweight vans seriously, and I am grateful that Senator Kavanagh and I have had the solid assistance of Mayor de Blasio and DOT Commissioner Gutman for passing the ‘weigh-in-motion’ bill in the most modern legislative session. Governor Cuomo can not indication that invoice soon ample. I am hunting forward to performing alongside one another with the Town, Point out and federal governments and with community communities to strategy for the complete Brooklyn I-278 corridor, which includes addressing tunnel alternate options along the BQE, and prioritizing local weather justice considerations.”
“The DOT’s system to reduce site visitors on the BQE triple cantilever from 3 lanes to 2 lanes, although also creating structural repairs and cutting down truck website traffic will expand the practical everyday living of this portion of the BQE. This is the prudent and protected system of motion for a roadway in determined require of maintenance and redesign. Additional, this strategy neatly permits upcoming administrations to conveniently make added improvements,” claimed Assembly Member Robert Carroll.
“I am proud to stand with the Mayor and Commissioner Gutman on the release of this comprehensive strategy to extend the lifetime of the BQE cantilever. It is essential that perform start out right away to be certain that the composition is not authorized to degrade any additional – to shield all New Yorkers who travel on or are in close proximity to this corridor, together with adjacent communities. We need to put into practice a forward considering program which brings together the attempts of the authorities all through this method and which lessens reliance on large vehicles and vehicular visitors, addresses maintenance requires, accommodates checking and sets the standard with a vision for the up coming just one hundred years. Present day announcement delivers us just one action nearer in that route having into account the input of the community, the BQE Pro Panel, NYCDOT, unbiased engineers and a variety of stakeholders for the Atlantic to Sands Street segment of the BQE cantilever,” said Council Member Stephen Levin.
“We know this project will not be an quick process to comprehensive. I am satisfied to listen to that the DOT and Mayor de Blasio are diligently doing work to put into practice a prepare that will deal with lots of of the most quick troubles impacting the BQE’s structural integrity,” claimed Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez, Chairman of the Transportation Committee. “Mayor de Blasio’s appointed 2019 Independent Professional Panel strongly advised that the Metropolis instantly apply targeted visitors reducing actions coupled with crucial infrastructure repairs. This plan will help us fulfill several of these aims though also allowing the neighborhood group to be a part of the BQE’s extensive term development. I search forward to continuing to work together with Mayor de Blasio, DOT Commissioner Hank Gutman, and our Federal legislators to assure we have the fiscal sources we will need to finish the repairs the BQE desperately desires.”
“Every day, the basic safety of Brooklyn Heights residents and commuters hangs in the harmony of a mere 1.5-mile stretch of the BQE,” claimed Carlo A. Scissura, President and CEO of the New York Constructing Congress and Chair of the BQE Professional Panel. “We regarded the challenges the triple cantilever posed — and the greater needs to reimagine the complete BQE — when the Pro Panel gave its suggestions. Today’s actions, primarily based in element on individuals findings, is a significant step in the extended highway to ending our dependence on yesterday’s highways, lessening targeted traffic-associated emissions and returning open up house to communities. We thank and applaud Mayor de Blasio and Commissioner Gutman for using this historic action.”
“Across the nation, the destructive effects of city highways are staying acknowledged and tackled. The transformation of the BQE, 1 of New York City’s most decrepit and polluting transportation corridors, is of critical value to the potential of our city. The Coalition for the BQE Transformation (BQET) applauds the rapid measures which DOT is having to assure the safety of the Triple Cantilever due to the fact this plan purchases New Yorkers time to produce a actually visionary alternative to what has been a political very hot potato for extra than 20 years. But the setting up to reverse the unfavorable environmental, economic, and public well being impacts of the BQE need to get started now, and we will keep the City to its dedication to transfer forward quickly with structured and substantive engagement with all the communities alongside the BQE corridor. The BQET seems forward to doing the job closely with DOT all through this interim restore procedure to accommodate a host of close to-phrase air pollution, environmental, security, and connectivity advancements. Today’s announcement is an critical action in the appropriate path,” on Behalf of the Coalition for the BQE Transformation.
“The reconstruction of the BQE is significant to the community encompassing the Montague Avenue and the Atlantic Avenue Enterprise Enhancement Districts. We seem ahead to doing work closely with our associates at DOT and NYPD to be certain the corporations and community are impacted as little as doable,” claimed Kate Chura, Govt Director, Montague and Atlantic Avenue Enterprise Advancement Districts.
“The BQE is 1 of the most urgent infrastructure difficulties struggling with the metropolis proper now and DOT’s strategies to shore up this very important corridor is an significant move,” reported Regina Myer, President of Downtown Brooklyn Partnership. “The challenge is also an important reminder that we have a distinctive possibility to deal with earlier issues by creating infrastructure that will at last present important connections amongst the waterfront and Downtown Brooklyn for all users. We search forward to continuing to get the job done with DOT and bordering communities on a prolonged-time period approach for the BQE that consists of generating the inexperienced gateway into Brooklyn that New Yorkers deserve.”
“The BQE has far-ranging impacts for communities along the corridor from Staten Island to Queens,” mentioned Mike Racioppo, Brooklyn Local community Board 6 District Manager. “It is vital that we have a neighborhood-driven system to envision the future of the roadway, and the proposed actions in this announcement make certain there is adequate time to perform extensive and significant neighborhood engagement.”
“This is the entrance to Brooklyn! The transformation of the BQE has the opportunity to reshape Dumbo’s walkways and open up up even additional open space to the waterfront and up to Downtown. A key piece is minimizing local visitors and we search ahead to working with the town towards this finish,” said Alexandria Sica, President DUMBO Enhancement District.
“The BQE has prolonged been in want of a revisioning. We are delighted that the City will reimagine the roadway and just take concrete steps to increase the life of the cantilever. The prepare will lower website traffic and diminish freight congestion on the roadway, which will enhance air top quality and combat transportation air pollution. It will also advertise low-emission cars these as thoroughly clean vehicles – which is a single of NYLCV’s major priorities. We commend Mayor de Blasio and Commissioner Gutman on their management and appear forward to working with stakeholders as this system is carried out,” explained Julie Tighe, President of the New York League of Conservation Voters.
“We are very glad to see suggestions from RPA’s “Reimagining the BQE” report becoming implemented – and thank our community elected officers and community servants for having multi-faceted motion to address fears along this vital roadway,” explained Tom Wright, President and CEO, Regional System Association. “The important techniques outlined now stick to the diligent perform of the mayor’s Experts’ Panel and will allow for for a considerate very long-term program for the BQE which responds to the switching mother nature of get the job done, travel, commerce and climate transform.”
