Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
NYC mulls building temporary highway in sky over Brooklyn Bridge to fix BQE
By
Liam Quigley
and
Carol Chen
Published Oct 1, 2026
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Courtesy NYC Department of Transportation
By
Liam Quigley
and
Carol Chen
Published Oct 1, 2026
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
New York City may need to build a temporary highway over the approach to the Brooklyn Bridge as part of its plan to repair a crumbling stretch of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, according to documents released this week.
The city's Department of Transportation announced it aimed to fully close and rebuild the highway's triple-cantilever structure in Brooklyn Heights from 2032 to 2040. To divert traffic off the busy roadway, officials said they’ll build a new temporary bypass above Furman Street abutting Brooklyn Bridge Park.
Officials previously said they may also need to build a second bypass over the eastern section of the bridge that rises out of Brooklyn. New documents and renderings, first reported by Streetsblog, show exactly how that temporary structure would soar through the sky.
The elevated roadway would carry traffic past luxury high rises in Dumbo to the foot of a major NYCHA complex near the Brooklyn Navy Yard and the Manhattan Bridge, before connecting back into the expressway.
The design is not finalized, and the new documents say the bypass would “potentially” run over the Brooklyn Bridge.
Under city plans, the temporary highway would be built from 2030 to 2032. Crews would destroy it when the BQE repairs are complete, which is scheduled for 2040.
Planners want to build the bypass to prevent cars and trucks that normally use the BQE from flooding local roads. Former Mayor Bill de Blasio in 2018 planned to build a different temporary highway that would have closed the Brooklyn Heights Promenade while the repairs were finished, but that plan was scuttled after it faced intense protests from locals.
Now, the plan for a new soaring highway threatens to mar picturesque views of the bridge throughout the 2030s and cause major headaches for neighbors.
Donna Williams, 62, a tourist who visited the bridge on Thursday, scoffed at the bypass plan.
“I would say don't mess with the Brooklyn Bridge,” said Williams. “It's an icon. Let it be an icon.”
The city estimates the entire project will cost as much as $4 billion.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani ordered his transportation department to move forward with the plan after previous mayors had neglected to advance the overhaul. Mamdani defended his decision Thursday, telling reporters previous mayors had simply kicked the can down the road on repairs to the BQE’s triple-cantilever, which is held up by crumbling cement and rusted rebar.
“What we need to do is make it safe, ensure that we can continue to prevent any of that traffic spilling over into local neighborhoods, and doing so on a timeline that New Yorkers can actually hold us to,” he said.
Views like this could soon include a massive temporary highway.
Anthony Devlin/Getty Images
The project would consume large swaths of land from north of Atlantic Avenue to Nassau Street near the Manhattan Bridge, according to the documents.
Councilmember Lincoln Restler of Brooklyn praised Mamdani for tackling the project but said the bypass plan is alarming for neighbors of the highway, which was built in the mid-20th century by Robert Moses and carries 130,000 vehicles a day.
Restler said he met with concerned residents last week who learned that the highway could carry traffic just 8 feet from their homes.
“They're not excited about it, he said. "So if we can find an alternative, we're gonna make it happen. I'm going to do everything in my power to help us achieve an alternative approach.”
Restler said the plan will face close scrutiny from both his constituents and legislative colleagues. The footprint of the work swallows up 132,000 square feet of popular city parks, which will require approval from the City Council and the state Legislature.
Under previous Mayor Eric Adams, the transportation department installed a new system for detecting and ticketing overweight trucks on the rundown highway in an effort to slow its deterioration.
Jose Fernandez, 50, was among those enjoying the mild weather Thursday on the Brooklyn Bridge. He stood in the spot where the new elevated highway could cast a shadow for a decade.
“ The BQE has been needing a lot of work for a long time,” he acknowledged. “To me, it's just adding a Band-Aid. I'm not sure if that Band-Aid is good.”
City transportation officials said the project will extend the life of the triple-cantilever by 40 years.
Tagged
brooklyn
new york city
transportation
Liam Quigley
Liam Quigley is a reporter covering parks & sanitation for Gothamist and WNYC. Got a tip? Email [email protected]
Read more
Carol Chen
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
A sixth person dies after falling ill in NYPD custody this year
The 54-year-old was hospitalized twice after his arrest Friday, police said.
By
Ryan Kost
Published Oct 4, 2026 at 4:44 p.m. ET
NJ reports first West Nile Virus death of the year
While the national West Nile Virus trend has slowed down, activity in the Garden State has picked up.
By
Michael Sol Warren
News
NJ reports first West Nile Virus death of the year
While the national West Nile Virus trend has slowed down, activity in the Garden State has picked up.
By
Michael Sol Warren
NY's prison system is in crisis. It's driving staff away from the job.
By
Emily Russell
NYPD searching for suspect after fatal stabbing in Queens
By
Ben Feuerherd
NYPD: 2 suspects in off-duty officer stabbing tried to rob victim
By
Jill Webb
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .