Life-Size BQX Prototype Unveiled

On Monday, the prototype for a new potential mode of transportation connecting Brooklyn and Queens was revealed.

The model Brooklyn-Queens Connector (BQX) streetcar was unveiled at the New Lab technology space in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. The rail line would run 14 miles along the Brooklyn-Queens waterfront from Astoria to Sunset Park.

Ya-Ting Liu, executive director of Friends of the Brooklyn Queens Connector, advocated for the new line saying, “Now is the moment to move forward with this transformative project to connect hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers, including over 40,000 public housing residents, to jobs, education, healthcare and recreation along the route.” 

Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams believes this train will solve the lack of north-south transportation between the two boroughs. “Everyone is on board, for the most part, with the concept that we need better transportation from waterfront to inland,” he said.

Despite these benefits, some concerns among residents still exist, such as the lack of fare integration with the MTA and the risk of overdevelopment on the waterfront.

The project could be completed as early as 2024.