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New York Post
6 days ago
- Business
- New York Post
Long-promised Brooklyn-Queens rail link is finally moving forward — but won't be complete till the 2030s
It's finally getting on track. The long-awaited light rail connection between Brooklyn and Queens has now moved into active development, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Friday — but the project won't be complete until at least the 2030s. Hochul, during an event along the abandoned rail line that will become the Interborough Express, or IBX, celebrated the MTA's board this week advancing the expected $5.5 billion project into its design phase. 'We're turning these old tracks into something remarkable,' she crowed. 'A clean, fast, 14-mile light rail line – a connection between Brooklyn and Queens like never before.' 5 Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Friday that a long-promised Brooklyn-Queens rail link is now in its design phase. James Messerschmidt She also highlighted estimates that an end-to-end trip along the line will only be 32 minutes. 'Riders will save 30 minutes each way. If you're a round-trip commuter, guess what? That's an hour back in your life.' Proposals to build a Brooklyn-Queens rail service have percolated for nearly three decades, but only seriously advanced when Hochul announced in 2022 that an underused freight line would be converted into the Interborough Express. The planned line would create 19 stations, connect 17 subway lines, 50 bus routes and two Long Island Rail Road hubs along its track from Sunset Park, Brooklyn to Jackson Heights, Queens, officials envision. The IBX would also be the Big Apple's first light rail line, as well the first end-to-end rapid transit built entirely in the city since the line that became the G train opened in 1937, officials said. 5 The Interborough Express will run from Sunset Park to Jackson Heights. MTA/ Governor Hochul 5 The IBX will run from Brooklyn Army Terminal to Roosevelt Avenue. MTA 5 The project is expected to cost $5.5 billion and be the city's first light rail line. MTA Drone footage and photos released by MTA officials Friday give a bird's-eye view of the proposed route, including the LIRR-owned Bay Ridge Branch and the CSX-owned rail line Fremont Secondary. The route winds through tree-lined, largely forgotten rail beds in both boroughs, with several bridges and tunnels that could present design difficulties, officials said. But beyond broad strokes and a $2.75 billion commitment so far by Hochul, no serious engineering and design work had been done on the project – until MTA board members Wednesday selected Jacobs and HDR to be design and engineering team, with a $166 million contract. 'Thanks to $166 million dollar state investment, that means a lot of planning is going to occur – looking at the stations, tracks, vehicles signals – so we can get shovels in the ground and make this become a reality,' Hochul said. 5 The route follows an existing, although largely forgotten rail line. MTA / Trent Reeves The design phase will be the last before construction begins, officials said. The project is expected to be completed in the 2030s. Hochul promised that whenever it's finished that New Yorkers will have fewer travel hassles flitting between Brooklyn and Queens. 'The outer boroughs are now joined so that there's not a requirement that if you want to go see your mother in Queens from Brooklyn that you won't have to go into Manhattan first,' she said.
Newsweek
09-07-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
$1 Billion Washington, DC, Rail Bridge Project Moves Forward
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Long Bridge North project in Washington, D.C., a rail infrastructure initiative aimed at easing one of the East Coast's most congested rail corridors, has taken a new step forward with the awarding of a $1 billion construction contract. The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority (VPRA) announced that construction and development company Skanska will oversee the building of a critical stretch of the project running from East Potomac Park to L'Enfant Interlocking in D.C. Why It Matters The new four-track bridge system will replace a century-old, two-track CSX-owned structure that is currently operating at 98 percent capacity during peak hours. It serves as a chokepoint for nearly 80 trains per day operated by CSX, Amtrak, and Virginia Railway Express. By increasing capacity, the project could improve both freight and passenger train reliability and frequency. A rendering of the Long Bridge North Project, in Washington, D.C. A rendering of the Long Bridge North Project, in Washington, D.C. ACS What To Know The work is part of the $2.3 billion Long Bridge initiative, which spans 1.8 miles across the Potomac River and will modernize freight and passenger service between Washington, D.C., and Arlington. The $1 billion Skanska contract, announced July 8, covers the northern section of the Long Bridge Project. This phase will include replacing a two-track corridor with a modern four-track system across the Washington Channel and into the L'Enfant rail junction. The refurbished eastern tracks will continue to support CSX freight operations, while newly built western tracks will be used by Amtrak's long-distance trains, Amtrak Virginia state-supported service, and the Virginia Railway Express, according to Mass Transit Magazine. The southern section of the bridge, is being managed by Long Bridge Rail Partners. The "south package" of the project will build a separate pedestrian and cyclist bridge, as well as four other rail bridges and additional infrastructure from Rosslyn Interlocking to the river's edge. The project is backed by significant federal investment. A $729 million grant from the Federal Railroad Administration's Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail program is helping to close the funding gap, according to a Washington Post report. What People Are Saying Skanska USA Civil Executive Vice President Michael Viggiano said in a statement: "Skanska is proud to be leading the construction team and work for the Long Bridge North Project, which will vastly improve freight and passenger rail service in the capital region. "With funding in place and planning and approvals now complete, this highly complex and critical infrastructure project is shovel-ready." What's Next Construction on the full Long Bridge Project is scheduled to be completed by 2030, according to VPRA. Once finished, the new infrastructure is expected to improve rail capacity along the East Coast, streamline intercity travel, and support long-term economic growth in the region.
