Politicians Urge Cuomo to Expedite BQE Repairs

As the prospect of $1.7 billion dollars worth of rehabilitation work on the BQE looms, State Senators and Assemblymembers from Brooklyn and Staten Island have come together to write an open letter to Governor Cuomo, requesting design-build authorization for the project to be included in the 2019 budget.

That authorization would save the taxpayers more than $113 million and could expedite the repair process by as much as 2 years, the letter states.

The portion of the BQE to be repaired is the 1.5 mile stretch from Atlantic Avenue to Sands Street, which includes the triple-cantilevered roadway hanging off of Brooklyn Heights.

Repairs could start as early as 2020, but if aren’t completed by 2026, the DOT would most likely have to bar truck traffic from that portion, states the letter. That closure would prove difficult for businesses and have a serious impact on local traffic.

Design-build authorization merges the construction and design phases of major projects, cutting down on time required to bid the work, and was used for projects like the Kosciuszko and Mario Cuomo Bridges.

All told, nineteen State Senators and Assemblymembers signed the letter of recommendation to Governor Cuomo. Click here to read the full text of the letter.