Brooklyn Queens Connector Telephone Town Hall This Jan. 26

RED HOOK, BROOKLYN — Maybe you haven't had a chance to attend one of the city's public meetings on the proposed Brooklyn Queens Connector (BQX), but you'll soon be able to ask questions and weigh in on the project over the phone.

Adam Giambrone, a light rail expert hired by the city to guide an ongoing analysis of the train, will host a telephone town hall about the project on Thursday, Jan. 26. The call will start at 6 p.m. Those wishing to participate can dial 877-229-8493, and then enter PIN 115628.

As proposed, the BQX would run for 16 miles along the Brooklyn-Queens waterfront from Astoria to Sunset Park. The project's feasibility is still being studied by the city's Department of Transportation and Economic Development Corporation (EDC), who have said they'll issue a report before the end of March.

The city is currently soliciting public feedback on the BQX, which it says could carry 50,000 riders per day by the 2030's. And last November, the EDC released a set of possible routes showing where the BQX might run in Red Hook:

Source: EDC

The proposal has thus far been met with a mixture of support, questions, and opposition at community meetings held up and down its proposed corridor, with many residents wanting to know more about who it would benefit, how the system would handle rising sea levels, how it would be financed, whether it would offer a free transfer to MTA buses and subways, and how it would impact area traffic and parking, among other issues.

Reporting from the New York Daily News has also alleged the BQX is little more than a give-away to large developers focused on waterfront areas. The Bill de Blasio administration has vehemently denied the assertion, countering that the BQX would be an effective way to provide new north-south public transit to Brooklyn and Queens neighborhoods that need it.

After a December meeting in Sunset Park, where community group UPROSE has led opposition to the project, Giambrone reiterated that the BQX won't happen without public backing.

"I know that street cars have worked in major cities around the world to support vibrant communities," Giambrone said following the meeting. "However, at this point, we are looking at how this works for New York City, and specifically the communities of the waterfront. At the end of the day, this is a street car project designed by and for New York."

Top image courtesy of Friends of the Brooklyn Queens Connector.