Brooklyn-Queens Expressway Needs Innovative Solutions

The New York City roadway is desperately in need of repair, but just tearing it down and replacing it would be a shortsighted fix.

1 minute read

December 14, 2018, 7:00 AM PST

By Camille Fink


Brooklyn-Queens Expressway

MusikAnimal / Wikimedia Commons

Justin Davidson ponders the future of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, which he would like to see come down for good rather than just replaced with the same:

So far, the city’s DOT has floated two, more or less equally horrendous options: make piecemeal repairs, causing eight years of Munch’s Scream-level congestion, or commandeer the Brooklyn Heights Promenade as a temporary highway and tolerate a different kind of misery for a mere six years.

Concerns about traffic congestion and what would happen to freight vehicles using the BQE if it went away completely should not be used to defend a replacement project that, conservatively, would cost $3 billion to $4 billion, says Davidson. Instead, he argues for a long-term vision that considers where transportation is headedin terms of technology and travel modesand goals like sustainability.

Davidson also spends time considering the stacked design of the BQE and the park and public space of the Brooklyn Heights Promenade. Burying the roadway, he suggests, would be a good alternative for reclaiming this space, even if a tunnel would be costly and time consuming. "To anyone who ever sat for hours, fumigated and immobilized, on the I-93 [in Boston] at rush hour, being able to stroll along the Rose Kennedy Greenway, which follows the same route, is a major urban gift."

Monday, December 10, 2018 in Intelligencer - New York Magazine

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Use Code 25for25 at checkout for 25% off an annual plan!

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

May 7, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Person in yellow safety suit and white helmet kneels to examine water samples outdoors on a lake shore.

USGS Water Science Centers Targeted for Closure

If their work is suspended, states could lose a valuable resource for monitoring, understanding, and managing water resources.

May 1, 2025 - Inside Climate News

People biking along beach path with moored ship in San Diego, California.

San Diego Adopts First Mobility Master Plan

The plan provides a comprehensive framework for making San Diego’s transportation network more multimodal, accessible, and sustainable.

May 2, 2025 - SD News

Electric vehicle charging station with white cars plugged in

States File Lawsuit Over EV Charging Funds

A coalition of states sued the Trump administration over its suspension of funding for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program.

15 minutes ago - The New York Times

Person stepping over hole in sidewalk.

Portland Council Tentatively Approves Sidewalk Repair Plan

The proposal would address sidewalk needs in Portland’s District 1 and District 4.

May 12 - Oregon Public Broadcasting

6-story building at Honolulu Community College.

Expanding Access to Design Education at Honolulu Community College

Honolulu Community College’s Architecture, Engineering & Construction Technologies program highlights the role of community colleges in preparing nontraditional students for careers in architectural and construction technologies.

May 12 - University of Hawai'i News

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.