Interborough Express is feasible, MTA study says

Governor Kathy Hochul and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced that the yearlong feasibility study is completed. The study found that the Interborough Express (IBX) project, which will provide direct transit between Brooklyn and Queens, is feasible and would serve up to 80,000 commuters daily. 

The feasibility study suggests that the project can reduce travel time to less than 40 minutes end-to-end and lower the transportation cost. The report outlined three alternatives for the 14-mile long IBX corridor: conventional heavy rail, light rail, and bus transit. The Interborough Express will intersect with 17 out of 22 existing subway lines and the Long Island Railroad. 

“Infrastructure is all about connection, and with the Interborough Express we can connect people to their family and friends while also improving their quality of life,” Governor Hochul said in the press release of the project. “The Interborough Express will connect Brooklyn and Queens, not only shaving time off commutes but also making it easier to connect to subway lines across the route. With the completion of the feasibility study, we can move forward to the next phase of this project and bring us one step closer to making the Interborough Express a reality for New Yorkers." 

The Interborough Express will serve areas in Queens and Brooklyn that lack access to high-frequency direct transit connections. The feasibility report found that approximately one-third of people served by the IBX will be living at or below 150% of the poverty line, and nearly one-half will come from zero-car households. 

“MTA riders deserve a reliable and wide-reaching transit system that promotes equity, and this study proves The Interborough Express will provide better access to jobs, education and economic opportunities for some 80,000 New Yorkers in Queens and Brooklyn. I want to thank Governor Hochul for her leadership on this exciting project and look forward to working with local communities to get work underway,” MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said. 

In 2022, the Interborough Express project will go through the environmental review process and collect community feedback. It is not clear yet how much the project will cost. 

Resources:

“Governor Hochul Releases Feasibility Report for the Interborough Express,” (New York State, 2022)

“Interborough Express Interim Report - Feasibility Study and Alternatives Analysis,” by The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA, January 2022)

“MTA has finished Interborough Express feasibility study, Hochul says,” by Brandon Sanchez (Crain’s New York, 2022)

“Interborough Express,” (MTA, 2022)