Mamdani plans to build temporary highway in Brooklyn Heights to fix crumbling part of BQE

The New York City Department of Transportation has announced a $4 billion plan to reconstruct a half-mile section of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. The project involves erecting a temporary two-level roadway adjacent to Brooklyn Bridge Park to handle 130,000 daily vehicles while the 72-year-old triple-cantilever structure is rebuilt. Construction on the temporary highway is slated to begin in 2030, with the entire rehabilitation expected to last until 2040.

City officials stated that the project will require closing sections of the Brooklyn Heights Promenade during construction, though they pledged to keep at least one portion open at all times. The plan aims to replace corroded rebar and cracked concrete to extend the structure’s life by 40 years. Unlike a similar proposal rejected in 2018, the DOT claims this temporary bypass will be mostly obscured from the promenade's view.

Environmental reviews are scheduled for next year, with the city land review process expected to conclude by 2028. While no federal funding has been secured, officials maintain the work is urgent as interim repairs are no longer sufficient to ensure the highway's long-term stability.

Summary by Dispatch AI — read the full story at Gothamist.