Adams presses feds to act on BQE overhaul before leaving office, catching community groups off guard | amNewYork

"Mayor Eric Adams is urging the federal government to expedite the long-delayed Brooklyn-Queens Expressway overhaul, warning that without immediate action, the city may be forced to impose truck weight restrictions and face massive traffic disruptions. In an Oct. 15 letter to U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Adams asked the feds to publish a Notice of Intent by Nov. 14 to begin the federal environmental review for the deteriorating 1.5-mile stretch of the BQE between Atlantic Avenue and Sands Street."

"The mayor called the aging triple-cantilever a backbone of the regional and national economy and said further delay risks consequences to public safety and the regional supply chain. The letter marks a late-term push by Adams to advance the project before leaving office in January. He cautioned that if the city cannot move forward soon, structural issues may force significant weight restrictions in the short term and permanent closure in the medium term."

Mayor Eric Adams requested federal action to publish a Notice of Intent by Nov. 14 to start the federal environmental review for a deteriorating 1.5-mile BQE stretch between Atlantic Avenue and Sands Street. He described the aging triple-cantilever as a backbone of the regional and national economy and warned that further delay could threaten public safety and disrupt the regional supply chain. Adams cautioned that structural deterioration could force significant short-term truck weight restrictions and medium-term permanent closure, diverting heavy traffic onto local streets and causing billions in economic losses. Local environmental and neighborhood groups say they were blindsided and have urged abandonment of current DOT design plans prior to review. Community leaders seek clarity about what the environmental review will examine.

Read at www.amny.com