Queens residents get first look at MTA's Interborough Express plan
The Brief
The MTA held its first open house in Queens to share updates on the Interborough Express, a planned light rail connecting Brooklyn and Queens without passing through Manhattan.
The 14-mile route would link Bay Ridge to Jackson Heights, connecting with 17 subway lines and the LIRR, and serving an estimated 115,000 weekday riders.
Despite funding concerns tied to congestion pricing, the MTA says the project is moving forward, with engineering selection nearing and more public meetings planned.
NEW YORK - The Interborough Express is a light rail project that would connect Brooklyn and Queens without traveling through Manhattan. On Thursday night, the MTA held the first of several open houses to explain the project to the public.
What we know
The MTA held its first open house on Thursday evening to discuss the Interborough Express—known as IBX—a light rail project that would connect Brooklyn and Queens using a 14-mile freight corridor.
The line would run from Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, to Jackson Heights, Queens, using underused tracks currently owned by the Long Island Rail Road and CSX. The IBX would provide connections to 17 different subway lines and the Long Island Rail Road, potentially impacting 115,000 daily commuters.
The MTA says it is close to selecting an engineering firm and that the project remains on track, despite legal disputes over congestion pricing that could affect funding.
"We are focused on the capital program that the MTA is presenting to legislative leaders in Albany, and this project is one of the projects in that capital program," said Charlie Gans, project executive for the MTA. "We're hoping for a good outcome. Hoping that the capital program money comes through, we can basically take off like a rocket."
The backstory
Governor Kathy Hochul approved the start of the environmental review process for the IBX in 2022. Since then, the MTA has advanced planning and analysis, identifying light rail as the preferred mode for the project.
The line would preserve the Bay Ridge Branch's role as a freight corridor while providing a new rapid transit option for communities that currently lack convenient rail access. The route is expected to serve close to 900,000 residents and 260,000 workers who live and work along the corridor.
Weekday ridership is estimated at 115,000, and end-to-end travel times are expected to be less than 40 minutes.
Local perspective
At the open house, Queens residents said the project would drastically improve their commutes.
"I work in the neighborhood, and to take mass transit from Astoria to here is a train, a bus, and a 20-minute walk to my office," said Jim, a commuter from Astoria.
Stephanie Plachy-Feinstein of Glendale said the IBX would cut her travel time by more than half.
"I work in Bushwick, which would be like two stops on the IBX. I'm excited about the prospect of actually being able to commute, rather than just driving," she said.
Other attendees said the project would bring relief to so-called "transit deserts" in both boroughs.
"We are in a transit desert," one resident said.
What's next
The MTA says additional open houses will be held in both boroughs. The next is scheduled for April 3 at South Shore High School in Brooklyn.
The Source
This story was written using information from mta.info and FOX 5 staff and crews.
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