BROOKLYN, NY— A proposed overhaul of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway could keep traffic moving through Brooklyn while crews repair an aging highway, but residents face years of construction and potential park disruptions.
The New York City Department of Transportation estimates the project will cost between $3.5 billion and $4 billion and extend the life of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway's central section by about 40 years.
The proposed rehabilitation would cover a roughly 1.5-mile stretch of Interstate 278 between Atlantic Avenue and Sands Street in Brooklyn.
The City owns the section, which includes 21 bridges and the triple cantilever, a structure carrying two levels of highway beneath the Brooklyn Heights Promenade.
"The short answer is the structure is past its design life, and the can has been kicked down the road for too long, and the city is responsible for this section and needs to repair it," Albert Silvestri, of the New York City Department of Transportation, said.
City inspections have identified cracked concrete, exposed steel, rust and water damage.
The City plans to repair and strengthen the structure without expanding the highway's two lanes or changing its interchanges.
The preliminary construction schedule spans about 10 years, although officials said the timeline remains under development.
The current estimate includes roughly two years to build the temporary roadways, about six years for the rehabilitation and another two years to remove the bypasses and complete final work.
Before crews can build the temporary routes, they must address utility conflicts along Furman Street and complete work on the Columbia Heights overpass.
"We have to work within alternatives that we can, as a city, put forward without federal intervention," said Chris Calvert, a member of the BQE Central project team.
The City proposes building temporary bypass roadways to keep vehicles on the highway during construction rather than diverting them onto local streets.
One proposed bypass would run above Furman Street, between Atlantic Avenue and Columbia Heights, within the City's existing right of way.
A second proposed route would run from Vine Street over the Brooklyn Bridge Anchorage Plaza and connect with the other bypass near Columbia Heights.
The City said the temporary roadways would avoid Brooklyn Bridge Park itself, addressing residents' concerns about construction encroaching on the waterfront park.
About 70 percent of commercial trips using the triple cantilever begin or end in Brooklyn or Queens, according to the project presentation.
But residents continue to question whether the multibillion-dollar project offers the best long-term solution, given the construction timeline and ongoing traffic problems in nearby neighborhoods.
"40 years of relief doesn't feel like a great balance of pain and relief," said Ariel Schulman, a Brooklyn Heights resident.
The Brooklyn Heights Promenade itself requires rehabilitation, meaning some sections could close while crews work on them.
The exact closures and construction phases remain undetermined.
The project could also affect Squibb Park, Hillside Dog Park and Harry Chapin Playground.
Harry Chapin Playground would undergo reconstruction alongside work on the Columbia Heights overpass.
Officials said they expect to restore the playground during the early stages of the project, allowing it to return to service while the temporary highway remains in use.
Some temporary impacts could persist along the edges of parkland for as long as the bypasses remain in place.
The plan also calls for a permanent change to a small section of the Squibb Park walkway.
The City would move the northern abutment wall of the Columbia Heights overpass several feet into the walkway, requiring state legislative authorization to use the affected parkland for transportation purposes.
That process, known as parkland alienation, applies to temporary as well as permanent use of parkland for nonpark purposes.
Susanna Pasquantonio, a Cobble Hill resident, said the reduction from three lanes to two has worsened congestion on the Columbia Street waterfront and in Cobble Hill.
"We need to at least be confident that it's the best possible path forward," Pasquantonio said.
The environmental review will assess potential impacts on traffic, parking, pedestrian and bicycle access, air quality andnoise, among other factors.
The City also expects to consider a no-build alternative, which evaluates what could happen without the proposed project.
Officials acknowledged that previous proposals explored more extensive changes to the BQE corridor, including transformative alternatives.
Some earlier concepts required federal involvement, which the City said it does not believe it can secure under current circumstances.
The City is in the public scoping phase, during which residents can comment on the issues the environmental review should examine.
Two public scoping meetings are scheduled for November:
Residents can attend either meeting. The City also plans an in-person information session at Brooklyn Borough Hall on Oct. 29.
Formal comments can be submitted through the project website, by email, by mail or during the public scoping meetings.
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