City's Plan To Fix BQE Is 'Highway To Hell,' Local Group Says

BROOKLYN HEIGHTS, BROOKLYN -- Local groups and thousands of petitioners have made it clear they won't take the city's plans to fix the Brooklyn Queens Expressway by shutting down their beloved promenade lying down. So much so, they've began creating plans of their own.

The Brooklyn Heights Association has hired local architects, urban planners and engineers to develop an alternative to the Department of Transportation's preferred method for fixing the BQE, which would close the iconic Brooklyn Heights Promenade for up to six years and build a temporary six-lane elevated highway in its place.

The organization, along with a coalition of other groups, has deemed that plan unacceptable, BHA Executive Director Peter Bray said.

The temporary six-lane highway would fall within feet of resident's homes, disturbing their lives and the environment, he said. Plus, he added, closing the promenade would eliminate the a community asset and one of the city's most popular tourist attractions.

"We're saying, 'Go back to the drawing board...and come up with a solution that is not as devastating to the adjacent communities and to the promenade," Bray said. "We've shown them an alternative concept that we think merits their evaluation and would accomplish most of those objectives."

The alternative concept, developed by Heights-based firm Marc Wouters Studios, proposes moving traffic to a temporary two-level structure west of the existing stretch of highway instead of building the six-lane "highway to hell."

Bray contends that this option is both safer and more practical than DOT's proposal. Building the six-lane highway, estimated to take two years, could pose a threat to cars underneath it and will create an obstacle for workers to even get to the BQE below, he said.

"In addition to the fact that you’re not putting a six-lane highway feet from people’s windows and living rooms and bedrooms, our plan would allow better access to (the BQE section) to remove it and rebuild it," Bray said.

He added that the BHA's alternative option can be completed in phases, instead of DOT's plan, which he said would leave the temporary highway up even longer than six years should the project face delays.

Representatives from the organization presented the idea to DOT officials last week, who seemed "guardedly" open to it. The commissioner told the group they would review the proposal, Bray said.

"We didn’t expect to get that type of immediate acceptance," Bray said. "There were no promises beyond the fact that they would assess it."

The idea does seem to have some community support, though Bray said renderings and specific details aren't quite ready to be shared with the public. So far, he said he hasn't heard any major concerns from residents about BHA's concept.

At the very least, residents seem to agree with the BHA's opposition to the DOT plans, he said.

Nearly 53,000 people have signed a petition against the city's plans and a coalition of other city groups have joined in BHA's opposition efforts, which has included signs around the neighborhood and "Six lane highway? No way!" pins.

Bray said the next steps will be for the BHA's task force to finalize the alternative concept and continue getting the word out.

"As you could imagine, it is absorbing close to 100 percent of our efforts here at BHA," he said.

Photo by Katherine Belsey, with the BHA