Interborough Express Moves Closer to Reality as MTA Advances Design
The proposed Interborough Express is moving closer to reality as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority advances design and environmental review for the new light rail connection between Brooklyn and Queens.
The $5.5 billion project would create a 14 mile transit corridor stretching from the Brooklyn Army Terminal to Roosevelt Avenue in Queens, providing a direct connection between the two boroughs without requiring riders to travel through Manhattan.
Plans call for 18 fully accessible stations with connections to 17 subway lines, 51 bus routes and the Long Island Rail Road. The MTA estimates an end to end trip would take approximately 32 minutes and that about 900,000 New Yorkers live within the communities that would be served by the corridor.
MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber recently said the project would take at least five years to complete, although the design phase is progressing faster than anticipated. Design work is expected to continue through 2027.
The MTA is also preparing a Draft Environmental Impact Statement, which is expected to be released in late 2026. The review will examine potential impacts on surrounding communities, including property, noise and air quality, and identify measures to mitigate those impacts.
The project would largely use an existing freight rail corridor and is intended to improve transportation options in Brooklyn and Queens neighborhoods that historically have had limited access to rapid transit.
As planning advances, the MTA continues to gather public input on station design, accessibility and the overall rider experience. New station renderings released by the agency provide an early look at how the light rail system could integrate into communities along the route.
The Interborough Express represents one of New York City’s most significant proposed transit expansions and could provide new connections between residents, jobs, businesses and neighborhoods across Brooklyn and Queens.
