BQE Corridor Vision

The Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE) has long served as a critical artery for Brooklyn and New York City, but at significant cost to surrounding communities—dividing neighborhoods and contributing to safety and environmental concerns. WXY developed the BQE Corridor Vision with NYC DOT to create a more connected, sustainable, and livable corridor.Community priorities—street safety, climate resilience, and access to public space—inform the design. We propose capping below-grade sections to create park space above and enhancing ground-level areas where the highway is elevated. Green infrastructure, expanded pedestrian connections, improved bus access, and EV charging support a shift to more sustainable travel.The vision was shaped by three rounds of public outreach beginning in Fall 2022, including 13 workshops and over 400 grassroots activities through NYC DOT’s first Community Partners program, setting the stage to transform more than 10 miles of highway.