Mamdani Unveils Multi-Billion BQE Rehab with Bypass Roads to Keep Traffic Moving

New York City’s Mamdani administration revealed a $3.5–$4 billion plan to rehabilitate the BQE Central cantilever in Brooklyn Heights, replacing deteriorated structure elements and upgrading drainage, railings, and lighting while keeping the highway at two lanes per level. The plan introduces temporary bypass roads to maintain traffic flow during a roughly decade-long construction, with completion targeted for 2040. Two bypass alignments are proposed, one over Furman Street by Atlantic Avenue and another for the Queens-bound side, potentially over the Staten Island-bound side and Brooklyn Bridge approach. Construction would begin after land-use and parkland actions by 2028, with bypasses in place by 2032. Funding details remain unclear, with the city aiming to self-fund as much as possible and minimize federal review requirements.