Brooklyn's aging infrastructure is under the microscope as local politicians press Mayor Eric Adams' administration for immediate action on the deteriorating Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE). Concerned with the feasibility of a long-term overhaul, officials are now urging for short-term patches to prevent further decline of the highway's triple cantilever section beneath the Brooklyn Heights Promenade. In a letter addressed on yesterday, Brooklyn Councilmember Lincoln Restler, State Sen. Andrew Gounardes, Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon, and U.S. Reps. Nydia Velázquez and Dan Goldman collectively expressed dwindling confidence in the city's ability to execute the extensive repairs needed before the cantilever reaches the end of its useful life.
According to a Gothamist report, plans for a lasting solution have been stymied by community opposition and bureaucratic stasis since 2019, despite engineers' warnings and the city's acknowledgement of the necessity for reconstruction. The officials fear that provisional measures such as lane removal and overweight truck sensors, are not enough for the BQE to stand indefinitely. "We do not know when it will no longer be safe for cars and trucks to ride on the BQE Triple Cantilever," the concerned politicians stated in their letter.
Meanwhile, the Adams administration has admitted that significant reconstructions to the BQE can't start until at least 2028. This was confirmed during testimony by the Department of Transportation's executive deputy commissioner Paul Ochoa, in response to Councilmember Restler, whose district encompasses the crumbling expressway. Complicating matters, last year saw the federal government deny an $800 million grant request pivotal for the cantilever's redesign, throwing a wrench into funding for the ambitious $5.5 billion refurbishment proposals previously tabled.
In response to the continued delays and challenges, officials are calling for a "new stabilization plan to preserve the safety and integrity of the Triple Cantilever for, at minimum, the next 15 to 20 years," as noted by Gothamist. Restler highlighted the need for alternatives while considering long-term proposals, suggesting that reliance solely on Mayor Adams' plan might not suffice.
Regional Plan Association vice president for transportation Tiffany Ann Taylor advised swift action in rebuilding the roadway, warning that patch jobs merely postpone the inevitable—a perspective she shared in an emailed statement obtained by Gothamist. Amid these discussions, the DoT is looking to host events requesting community input on the BQE's future, a move that showcases the administration's intent to involve public concerns in its decision-making process.
As reported by AM New York, the funding for the BQE currently allocated in the DOT's five-year capital plan amounts to only $174 million, which will cover minor repairs and environmental reviews, falling short of the extensive reconstruction costs. Ochoa mentioned the possibility of redistributing funds for an earlier start if conditions permit. The city has also initiated enforcement of truck weight limits to extend the expressway's lifespan, using motion sensors to ticket heavyweight vehicles—a first for U.S. highways.
