Interborough Express Project 

UPDATE:

Reach out to Ms. Benitez and share your concerns about the Interborough Express Project.  Once a decision has been made, it will be too late to share your concerns.  

Here is the information that was shared at the last IBX Meeting:

• The plan is to build 2 additional tracks for Air Trains that will run 24 hours a day every 10 minutes.  

• No decision has been made yet; they expect a decision will be made in December 2026.

• They will be sending an environmental expert to survey the area and buildings 

• They expect it will take about 10 years to build these 2 additional tracks

• They expect the track to be about 14 miles in total

Contact Information: 

Ruby Benitez 

Assistant Director, Government & Community Relations 

Email: ruby.benitez@mtahq.org 

Interborough Express Project 

The Interborough Express is a transformative light rail transit project that will connect currently underserved areas of Brooklyn and Queens. It will substantially cut down on travel times between the two boroughs, reduce congestion, and expand economic opportunities for the people who live and work in the surrounding neighborhoods.

The project will be built along the existing, LIRR-owned Bay Ridge Branch and CSX-owned Fremont Secondary, a 14-mile freight line that extends from Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, to Jackson Heights, Queens. It will create a new transit option for close to 900,000 residents of the neighborhoods along the route, along with 260,000 people who work in Brooklyn and Queens. It will connect with up to 17 different subway lines, as well as Long Island Rail Road, with end-to-end travel times anticipated at less than 32 minutes. Daily weekday ridership is estimated at 160,000.  

Using the existing rail infrastructure means the Interborough Express will be built more quickly and efficiently. It will also preserve the Bay Ridge Branch’s use as a freight line, providing an opportunity to connect to the Port Authority’s Cross-Harbor Freight Project.

After extensive planning, analysis, and public engagement, light rail was chosen because it will provide the best service for riders at the best value.

Project benefits

• A direct public transit option between Brooklyn and Queens

• Connections with up to 17 subway lines and Long Island Rail Road

• A faster commute—end-to-end rides are expected to take 32 minutes

• Expanded access to economic opportunities, essential services, and recreational and cultural resources for currently underserved locations where more than a third of residents are below the federal poverty line

More Information can be found on the Interborough Express Proposal tab