BQE North and South

Two pedestrians cross a street with heavy traffic in the background

The Adams administration is committed to reconnecting Brooklyn communities divided by the BQE. Neighborhoods like Sunset Park, Gowanus, Red Hook, South Williamsburg, and Greenpoint have been separated by the Moses-era highway, leading to increased noise and air pollution while also limiting access to jobs and other needed resources.

The BQE North and South focuses on the expressway north of the central section, from Sands Street to the Kosciusko Bridge, and south of the central section, from Atlantic Avenue to the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge.

Review the BQE North and South Report: Safe, Sustainable, Connected.


BQE Vision: North and South Video

Video description: Photos and video clips of the BQE in Brooklyn and streets underneath and above it, focusing on the area north of Sands Street to the Kosciusko Bridge and south of Atlantic Avenue to the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge.


City and State Roles

The BQE to the north and south of Atlantic Avenue to Sands Street in Brooklyn is owned by New York State. NYC DOT will continue to work with NYS DOT to create a partnership that can bring real and valuable change for the North and South Brooklyn corridors.

Proposed projects will include a range of recommendations for the highway as well as City-owned adjacent streets, including:

A wide, tree-lined one-way street in NYC with three vehicle lanes, a a wide concrete median, a green bike lane, and a sidewalk.

NYC DOT projects on City-owned streets

At night a crew spreads wet concrete into a new median along Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn

Other City-lead projects on City-owned streets

Construction vehicles move concrete jersey barriers on a wide roadway next to a bicycle path

NYS DOT projects on the highway that require ongoing coordination with the State

Large barge with containers travels along a NYC waterway
Multi-agency effort to explore viable alternative routes for freight to reduce truck traffic

In September 2022, Mayor Adams announced his administration’s engagement plan to quickly move toward a long-term fix for the BQE.

Community Engagement Timeline

  • September 2022 – Launch Community Visioning Council and appoint members
  • October 2022 – Understand community needs, preferences, and priorities
  • April to May 2023 – Gather feedback on initial concepts
  • October to November 2023 – Gather feedback on refined concepts
  • Spring 2024 – Release a plan of refined concepts and implementation strategy