As DOT Presents Refined Concepts for BQE, Locals Question Cost, Climate Impact, Two-Lane Study
More than 100 people filled a gymnasium in Brooklyn Friends School in Downtown Brooklyn Tuesday night to review the Department of Transportation’s refined concepts for the future of the city-owned section of the beleaguered Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, which includes the crumbling triple cantilever.
The meeting came just days after the city announced it would be delaying the launch of its environmental review process from spring to fall. The city will use the time to analyze the impact of reducing the number of BQE lanes in each direction from three to two, following intense pressure from community members and local elected officials.
The department and its partners presented detailed renderings and full 3D models of its three impressive concepts, which would all repair the roadway and better connect Brooklyn Heights to Brooklyn Bridge Park. But a lack of specificity concerning the impact on Brooklyn Bridge Park and other pinch points, costs, construction, pollution, and more, left many with questions.
The gathering took place in the gym at Brooklyn Friends School in Downtown Brooklyn
“I’m concerned that we don’t understand, there’s no information being shared on the impact on the neighborhood, the impact on the park, the potential costs, and ultimately, we have