Brooklyn-Queens Interborough Express will move forward using light rail

New York Governor Kathy Hochul shared an update on the long-awaited Interborough Express that will connect Brooklyn and Queens. In her State of the State address, Gov. Hochul announced that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) chose light rail for the Internorough Express. This transit system uses smaller, more flexible vehicles. 

The 14-mile stretch of rail service will be running from Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, to Jackson Heights, Queens. The Interborough Express (IBX) will connect 17 different subway lines and Long Island Rail Road, reducing the end-to-end travel time to no more than 45 minutes. This project is set to serve 115,000 weekday riders by 2045. 

The MTA released a feasibility study earlier last year, which outlined three potential options for the Interborough Express: heavy rail, light rail, and bus rapid transit. Last week, the authority announced plans to use light rail, citing its capacity, reliability, flexibility, and cost per rider. This rail type has the fastest speed among the three outlined options, and it offers the best value, with a cost of $48,173 per daily commuter.

“Moving forward with Light Rail for the Interborough Express means better access to jobs, education and economic opportunities for some 900,000 New Yorkers in Queens and Brooklyn,” said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber.

Although the IBX project is in the planning phase, the construction could begin as early as 2025. However, some advocacy groups believe that conventional rail is a better fit for the Interborough Express. The Tri-State Transportation Campaign argues that light rail will offer fewer benefits than heavy rail, such as the subway.

“It’s time to break free from the fragmented, patchwork transit system that leaves too many people stranded and disconnected,” Renae Reynolds, Executive Director of Tri-State Transportation Campaign, told Streetsblog NYC. “Our region deserves a seamless transit network that works for everyone. The Governor and MTA must prioritize the needs of all riders and the whole region, and invest in a system that will bring us into the 21st century.”

Resources:

“Governor Hochul Announces Public Transit Expansions to Increase Access, Affordability and Safety,” (New York State, 2023)

“Hochul’s 14-mile ‘Interborough Express’ connecting Brooklyn and Queens will use light rail,” by Aaron Ginsburg (6sqft, 2023)

“Interborough Express will move forward as light rail project,” by Ben Brachfeld (amNY, 2023)

“Interborough Express Project declared ‘light-rail’, ‘game changer’ for Brooklyn and Queens,” by Editorial Staff (Brooklyn Reporter, 2023)

“Hochul Gives Green Signal To Light Rail On The Interborough Express,” by Dave Colon (StreetsBlog, 2023)