It may be years away, but the Interborough Express is a hot topic for many commuters in Queens and Brooklyn.
“Having to go into the city just to get back to Brooklyn feels like we’re living in two different worlds,” said Sienna Baccio, a Brooklyn resident.
What You Need To Know
The IBX will have 18 stations from Jackson Heights, Queens to Sunset Park, Brooklyn
The project is currently in the environmental review and design phase, which MTA officials say will last until the end of 2027
The rail line will be built along an existing rail corridor that is currently used only for freight
Baccio and her friend traveled all the way from Bensonhurst, Brooklyn to Elmhurst, Queens for the workshop, the first of six throughout Brooklyn and Queens that will allow commuters to learn more about the IBX project and share their ideas on what it should look like.
“Hopefully, it’s happening sooner rather than later,” said Jackson Heights resident Timothy Paul.
The project will include 18 stations from Jackson Heights, Queens all the way to Sunset Park in Brooklyn. Thirteen of the stations will have subway transfers.
The rail line will be built along an existing rail corridor that is currently used only for freight. When it’s completed, the MTA says the IBX will cut down travel time between the two boroughs and eliminate nearly 22 million miles of passenger vehicle trips every year.
Commuters at the workshop got a chance to look over maps of the proposed stations.
“I have a lot of friends in Brooklyn, I’m going to Brooklyn all the time. A lot of times we have to go into Manhattan on a subway to get to Brooklyn so this would be huge,” Paul said.
Participants even got a chance to test out samples of the seating that could be used in the IBX.
The MTA says by creating a connection between underserved parts of Brooklyn and Queens, the IBX will improve economic opportunities for the 1 million New Yorkers who live along the proposed route.
“I didn’t even consider looking for a job in that area just because I knew how unrealistic it would be to try to get there in the morning,” Baccio said.
But some are skeptical of the project.
“I do feel there are other projects in the borough that might better serve the borough, particularly Queens Link, as there’s no viable north south rail link option within the borough,” Queens resident John McGarry said.
There’s no date yet for completion of the IBX.
Officials say the project is still in the design and environmental review phase, which could be finished by the end of next year.