Mayor Mamdani Announces $4 Billion Brooklyn-Queens Expressway Repair Plan

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced a $4 billion plan to rehabilitate a 1.5-mile city-owned stretch of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE) between Atlantic Avenue and Sands Street. The project targets the triple-cantilever section, which Mamdani noted is 20 years past its design life and carries 130,000 vehicles daily, more than double its intended capacity.

To prevent traffic from flooding local Brooklyn neighborhoods during construction, the city will build temporary two-level highway bypasses, including one above Furman Street. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2030 and is expected to last 10 years, extending the highway's lifespan by 40 years. The project will require partial closures of the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, though officials pledged to keep at least one portion open.

Transportation Commissioner Michael Flynn emphasized the urgency of the work, stating that the city has run out of time for interim repairs and requires a full rehabilitation. The city intends to fund the project without federal assistance. An environmental impact statement will begin next year, with the goal of completing the land review process by 2028.