The Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE) has a 1-1/2 mile, three-level structure, built in the 1940s, on which the world-famous Brooklyn Heights Promenade is perched. The highway's “triple cantilever " must be rebuilt urgently; its deterioration is accelerating. If reconstruction is not completed by 2026, 16,000 trucks a day will have to be re-routed onto local streets. The State Legislature must pass legislation authorizing the City of New York to use a Design-Build approach to reconstruct the BQE, which will save both time and money.
Why is this important?
Should the New York State Legislature fail to pass this legislation this spring, the diversion of trucks onto local streets will have catastrophic impacts, imperiling the health and safety of Brooklyn residents, damaging the region’s economy, and costing taxpayers $113 million more to complete the project. Design-Build is the only means to forestall this situation. It is an approach being used on major public and private projects nationwide to save time and money. Moreover, eight New York State agencies are already using Design-Build, but New York State has to-date refused to allow the City to use this time and cost-saving project delivery approach. By signing the petition, you will send a message to the State legislature and the Governor that Design-Build authority needs to be enacted without further delay.
