New York — BQX Proposal

February 2016

The New York Times reports that Mayor Bill de Blasio is envisioning a major investement in the Brooklyn and Queens East River riverfront by proposing a 16 mile long streetcar line that would run along the river's east bank.

The route along the East River, the streetcars would provide greatly improved public transportation to a redeveloping area of the city from the industrial centers of Sunset Park, Brooklyn, to the upper reaches of Astoria, Queens. Despite the massive extent of New York's subway system, these areas are largely unserved by subway routes.

The route would be known as the Brooklyn-Queens Connector, or BQX for short. Modern articulated streetcars would operate on track embedded in streets, often sharing lanes with traffic. Initial cost estimates are $2.5 billion, a large sum, but much less than a subway would cost. Backers hope construction could start in 2019 with initial service in 2024.