Queens-bound BQE at Brooklyn Heights to be fully closed June 1-3
DOT "strongly encourages" drivers to avoid area
BROOKLYN HEIGHTS — Locals are bracing for jammed streets and honking horns when the Queens-bound Brooklyn-Queens Expressway along the Brooklyn Heights waterfront fully closes for the third and final round of comprehensive repairs from Saturday, June 1 at 2 a.m. to Monday, June 3 at 4 a.m.
“We are approaching the third and final phase of our interim repair work for 2024 on the BQE to preserve its lifespan and keep it in a state of good repair,” NYC Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said in a release Tuesday.
The BQE closure will allow contractors to add new concrete and reinforce steel bars at spans near Clark Street and Grace Court, as part of short-term work to extend the lifespan of the deteriorated Triple Cantilever while a permanent solution can be devised.
Traffic from the BQE, which carries more than 150,000 vehicles a day, will be rerouted along Brooklyn streets including Atlantic, Third, Fourth and Flatbush avenues. Full detour maps can be found online.
“Travelers are strongly encouraged to avoid the BQE during scheduled closures,” NYC DOT said in a statement Tuesday. In addition to the highway closure, the following turns will be restricted: Atlantic Avenue eastbound left turn onto Hicks Street; Atlantic Avenue eastbound left turn onto Clinton Street; and Hicks Street northbound left turn onto Atlantic Avenue. Five ramps leading to the Queens-bound BQE will be closed as well.
“Tons of modeling efforts” came up with the most tolerable traffic mitigations, Tanvi Pandya, executive director of BQE, Design Build & Emergency Contracts at NYC DOT, said at a virtual meeting in July 2023.
DOT is working with New Jersey Transit, MTA, the Port Authority and Google Maps to divert traffic from the BQE during the closure weekends, Pandya said at that time. Traffic agents will be stationed around the assigned routes, at the Prospect Expressway, and in lower Manhattan. Emergency services will be stationed in Brooklyn Bridge Park.
Expect backups and honking horns
The first two rounds of the full Queens-bound closures in October 2023 and again last month brought backed-up traffic on Atlantic Avenue, Court, Clinton and Henry streets in Brooklyn Heights and Cobble Hill.
In April, DOT’s traffic agents worked particularly hard at the intersection of Atlantic Avenue and Hicks Street, fending off hundreds of drivers who wanted to turn directly onto Hicks after being forced off the BQE.
DOT crews actually wrapped up 12 hours earlier than expected in April, however, and the general sentiment among locals was that it could have been worse.
Nonetheless, residents complained that traffic on cross streets — especially Court, Clinton and Henry streets — was backed up all weekend, and large trucks became jammed at the intersection of Atlantic Avenue and Boerum Place.
“Cobble Hill was gridlock traffic and honking all weekend,” Amanda Sue Nichols, president of the Cobble Hill Association, said after the April work. “Hopefully DOT can come up with some options for the June closure that don’t encourage drivers to use Henry or Clinton as through streets.”
Detour Routes
Queens-bound detours:
■ Atlantic Avenue detour: Atlantic Avenue/Boerum Place to Tillary Street
■ 6th Avenue and 3rd Avenue entrance ramp detour: 3rd Avenue/Flatbush Avenue to Tillary Street
■ Prospect Expressway to the BQE HOV to HLC Tunnel will be open.
Prospect Expressway to BQE Queens-bound ramp will be closed. Detour: Hamilton Avenue/Hicks Street to Atlantic Avenue/Boerum Place/Adams Street to Tillary Street
Truck detour:
■ Linden Blvd. detour: Gowanus Expressway to Prospect Expressway/McDonald Avenue to Caton Avenue to Linden Blvd.
Brooklyn Heights
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