Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In

bqe.JPGThe Brooklyn Paper reports that there's talk brewing about seizing an opportunity to bury the section of the BQE that runs underneath the Promenade, rather than simply repair it (right, the Atlantic Ave. overpass where the roadway rises near the site of the proposed Brooklyn Bridge Park and the One Brooklyn condo development):

Some Brooklyn Heights residents now want to replace the part of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway that runs beneath the famed Promenade with a tunnel. "The beauty of a tunnel is it can [go] anywhere," said Democratic District Leader Jo Anne Simon at a Tuesday meeting with the state transportation officials. The current plan for repairing the busy highway calls for rebuilding the steel and concrete decks, but Simon sees "an opportunity" to fix a "cockamamie" design once and for all, noting that one such tunnel was built beneath the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. A Department of Transportation said the state would "look at a tunnel option if there was a strong consensus that [it] must be looked at."


Photo: Sarah Goodyear

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

DOT Re-Ups With Speed Camera Operator But Temp Tags Are Still Unticketable

The city has lost tens of millions in unpaid fines because the company that runs our speed- and red-light cameras can't catch cars with temp tags. But that company just inked a new $1-billion five-year deal.

March 2, 2026

Americans Demand Congress Fund Active Transportation In Next Infrastructure Bill — And Not Just The Bike/Walk Advocates

A "back to basics" surface transportation bill — as Republicans are seeking — would be devastating for road safety and small businesses.

March 2, 2026

City Revokes Armored Car Firm Garda’s Idling Law Exemption

DEP found the company "non-compliant" with fleet electrification benchmarks set as a condition for its exemption.

March 2, 2026

Monday’s Headlines: Table Setting for Tuesday Edition

The Mamdani administration will testify on its "Streets Master Plan" progress on Tuesday. Plus more news.

March 2, 2026

Lawmakers Raise Doubts About Hochul’s Insurance Proposal

The governor's Uber-backed insurance plan is leaving state lawmakers unsure of its effect on crash victims and high auto premiums.

February 27, 2026

‘Broadway Vision’: City Will Revamp Six More Blocks By 2031

The facelift will cost more than $150 million.

February 27, 2026
See all posts