NYC Unveils Routes For Brooklyn-Queens Streetcars

The New York Times reports:

As Mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration moves forward on plans for a new streetcar line from Queens to Brooklyn, city officials on Tuesday unveiled the different routes they are considering for the project.

streetcarrouteThe $2.5 billion waterfront streetcar would run on streets in some of New York City’s most popular and crowded neighborhoods along the East River, including Williamsburg and Downtown Brooklyn. City officials plan to discuss the routes at community meetings over the next two months before selecting a path early next year.

Mr. de Blasio proposed the streetcar, known as the Brooklyn Queens Connector, in February, and now New Yorkers can see where exactly it might run and the potential impact on their neighborhoods. The streetcar line, which would travel about 16 miles from Astoria in Queens to Sunset Park in Brooklyn, is the mayor’s most high-profile transportation priority and could open by 2024.

In a 25-page report on the routes, city officials outlined the benefits and drawbacks of using certain streets in each neighborhood, including the width of the road and how close the street is to subway lines for riders who want to transfer. Maps also show how the streetcar could travel over bridges to cross Newtown Creek and the Gowanus Canal — a potentially expensive part of the plan if new bridges are built.

The project is being led by the former head of Toronto’s streetcar agency. Toronto’s streetcar system is the largest in North America.