NYC's Interborough Express Moves Forward
NYC advances 14-mile Brooklyn-Queens transit line to cut 40-minute commutes via freight corridor
NYC Interborough Express Enters Active Phase
New York City's Metropolitan Transportation Authority is advancing the Interborough Express to active planning phase, Governor Kathy Hochul announced January 31. The 14-mile transit line would connect Brooklyn and Queens along an existing freight corridor, cutting travel times by up to 40 minutes for trips that currently require going through Manhattan. The project could serve an estimated 88,000 daily riders once operational, though officials haven't specified when construction will begin.
Addressing Long-Standing Transit Gap
The Interborough Express would repurpose the Bay Ridge Branch freight rail corridor, originally built in 1924, to create the first new major transit connection between Brooklyn and Queens in decades. "The Interborough Express will be a game-changer for transit in New York City, connecting communities in Brooklyn and Queens that have been underserved for far too long," Hochul said during her State of the State address. Currently, most trips between the two boroughs require traveling through Manhattan, adding significant time to commutes. The project's been in environmental review since 2024, though officials haven't said when that process will conclude.
Project Details and Scope
The proposed line would span approximately 14 miles with about 10 stations connecting neighborhoods across both boroughs. MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber called it "a historic moment for mass transit in New York," saying the line would provide "new opportunities for hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers." The project's estimated to cost around $5.5 billion, though officials haven't released a breakdown of federal, state, and local funding sources. Specific station locations are still being studied as part of the environmental review process, and the transit technology—whether light rail or heavy rail—remains under evaluation.
Timeline and Next Steps
Hochul first announced the Interborough Express concept during her 2023 State of the State address, and the project entered environmental review in 2024. Construction timeline hasn't been announced and will be determined following completion of the federal and state environmental review process required under National Environmental Policy Act and State Environmental Quality Review Act. Officials said they're continuing community engagement as planning advances, though they haven't provided a timeline for when additional project details will be released.
