MTA map
The article below originally appeared in and is posted with permission from:
https://www.constructionequipmentguide.com
New York City's plans for a direct train link from Brooklyn to Queens, known as the Interborough Express (IBX), took a big step toward being realized July 30 when the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced a board-approved design contract.
The board voted at its monthly meeting to approve the full design of the proposed rail line, which will connect Queens commuters to the Brooklyn waterfront in Bay Ridge, all while bypassing Manhattan. Members okayed a nearly $166 million design contract with a joint venture made up of Jacobs Engineering and HDR.
In total, the construction is expected to cost $5.5 billion, amNY reported.
The design contract will include a "comprehensive scope of work," where engineers will conduct surveys, geotechnical and environmental investigations and structure inspections, among other tasks, to advance the design.
MTA officials said that engineers will also assist in third-party negotiations and public outreach.
"The joint venture was selected because of its strong leadership team, thoughtful management approach, its comprehensive understanding of corridor constraints and its extensive experience performing the work of comparable magnitude and complexity," said Charles Gantz, IBX project executive.
The Interborough Express is seen by the MTA, along with many other state and local officials, as being a transformative rapid transit project that will connect currently underserved areas of Brooklyn and Queens.
When operational, the IBX "will substantially cut down on travel times between the two boroughs, reduce congestion and expand economic opportunities for the people who live and work in the surrounding neighborhoods," according to the transportation agency.
IBX To Use Existing Rail Lines for Quicker Delivery
Plans for the IBX include turning existing infrastructure — notably a freight rail line that carries one to two trains a day — into a light-rail line that will serve approximately 200,000 passengers.
The project would be built along the existing Long Island Rail Road (LIRR)-owned Bay Ridge Branch and the CSX-owned Fremont Secondary, a freight line that extends from Bay Ridge in Brooklyn, to Jackson Heights in Queens.
Using the existing rail infrastructure means the IBX could be built more quickly and efficiently, according to MTA. It also would preserve the Bay Ridge Branch's use as a freight line, providing an opportunity to connect to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey's Cross-Harbor Freight project.
After it is completed, the IBX rail line will start at Roosevelt Avenue in Queens and feature 19 stops along the corridor before reaching the Brooklyn Army Terminal in Bay Ridge.
Its route will bypass Manhattan, but carry commuter trains through several neighborhoods, including Jackson Heights, Maspeth, Ridgewood, Midwood, East Flatbush, East New York and Brownsville — just to name a few — before the final stop at the army terminal.
Close to 900,000 people living along the route would have access to the new transit option, along with another 260,000 who work in Brooklyn and Queens.
The entire 14-mi. route would likely take about 40 minutes and connect to 17 subway lines, including the LIRR, adding more travel alternatives for New Yorkers who live in transportation deserts with minimal train availability.
Daily weekday ridership projections by the MTA are estimated at 115,000.
Janno Lieber, who serves as the MTA's chair and president, told amNY that the IBX will offer a "complete change of mobility and access for so many people."
"This is a huge deal. The IBX is going to change people's lives and folks are understandably psyched about it," she said.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has championed the IBX project for the state-run MTA since she took office in 2021.
"She has been pushing it forward every step of the way and making sure we had the resources to advance it," said Lieber.
In early 2022, Hochul directed the MTA to begin the environmental review process for the new rail line.
A year later, after extensive planning, analysis and public engagement, light rail was chosen because it promised to provide the optimal service for riders at the best value.
The IBX project will be funded through investments made for expansion within the MTA's approved $68.4 billion 2025-2029 capital plan.
