A long-dreamed-about line that would link Brooklyn and Queens via light rail can begin the environmental-review process, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Wednesday.
It’s a key step for the $5.5 billion Interborough Express, which the state anticipates will eventually move 160,000 riders daily along 14 miles of a little-used freight railway. The proposed megaproject would run between Bay Ridge and Jackson Heights, connecting to 17 subway lines, 50 bus routes and two Long Island Rail Road stations.
The light-rail line has been touted by officials as a “game-changer” for riders in areas of the city with limited transit options — especially for those who want to travel between the two boroughs without having to commute through Manhattan.
What this means
The environmental review is a necessary step for approval of a project which already has $2.75 billion set aside for design and engineering work as part of the MTA’s $68.4 billion capital plan for 2025–2029…