New York City Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg compared the project to replace a section of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway in Brooklyn heights as New York's "Big Dig."
"On Thursday afternoon, the New York City Department of Transportation presented two plans for replacing the crumbling, 1.5-mile section of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway that passes through Brooklyn Heights and DUMBO and supports the beloved Brooklyn Promenade," reports Dana Rubinstein.
"Option one, the 'innovative' choice that city officials clearly prefer, would take six years (instead of eight-plus) and result in less appalling traffic nightmares. During construction, however, officials would build a six-lane highway adjacent to the Brooklyn Promenade," according to Rubinstein.
According to Rubinstein, "option two, the 'traditional approach,' will cost more, take longer, result in fewer long-term community benefits and require the permanent erection of a roadway directly above Furman Street. It is also likely to result in significantly more traffic, with many more trucks spilling over onto local streets."
Rubinstein provides more details on the construction measures each option entails, and notes an increasing price tag for the project—from an initial estimate of $1.7 billion in 2016, to today's $3 billion.
The day after the announcement of the proposed alternatives, the story took a somewhat surprising turn. MTA Chairman Joe Lhota, whose agency is faced with a protracted shut down of a key subway link between Brooklyn and Manhattan in addition to numerous other infrastructure and service challenges, took to Twitter to voice displeasure with the possibility that the BQE might be shut down for six years. Here's the tweet Lhota has since deleted:
— Amy Spitalnick (@amyspitalnick) September 21, 2018
Dana Rubinstein wrote another article examining Lhota's statement. The lede is as snarky as it gets: "MTA Chairman Joe Lhota, whose subway system continues to founder, has finally encountered a piece of news terrible enough to turn him into an activist."
FULL STORY: De Blasio administration outlines 'Big Dig' scenario for Brooklyn Heights
Fate of Brooklyn Heights Promenade Tethered to BQE Repair
The Brooklyn Heights Promenade will be closed as the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway below it is replaced. A Brownstoner column celebrates the esplanade's 68th birthday on Oct. 7, noting its troubled past and connection to Robert Moses.
Expressway Expansion Could Threaten Brooklyn Bridge Park
Supporters of the waterfront park worry NYCDOT’s plan to potentially widen the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway could reduce green space in “one of the most expensive urban parks ever built.”
A $1.7 Billion Highway Project Looms in Brooklyn
The Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE) is built atop of crumbling series of bridges. The city is expected to go in high gear on construction on Brooklyn's only interstate highway by the beginning of the next decade.
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
Google Maps Introduces New Transit, EV Features
It will now be easier to find electric car charging stations and transit options.
Ohio Lawmakers Propose Incentivizing Housing Production
A proposed bill would take a carrot approach to stimulating housing production through a grant program that would reward cities that implement pro-housing policies.
Chicago Awarded $2M Reconnecting Communities Grant
Community advocates say the city’s plan may not do enough to reverse the negative impacts of a major expressway.
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