MTA Launches Design Phase for Brooklyn-Queens IBX Light Rail

Governor Kathy Hochul announced the start of the engineering and design phase for the Interborough Express (IBX), New York City's first light rail system connecting Brooklyn and Queens. The 14-mile IBX will run along an existing freight corridor from Sunset Park to Jackson Heights, featuring 19 new stations that link to 17 subway lines, 50 bus routes, and two Long Island Rail Road stops. The project aims to significantly reduce commute times between the boroughs to 32 minutes, serving an estimated 160,000 daily riders with an anticipated 48 million annual trips, making it the busiest light rail system in the U.S. The total project cost is projected at $5.5 billion, with $2.75 billion already approved in funding, and the design contract awarded to Jacobs and HDR for nearly $166 million. Key design elements include a tunnel beneath Metropolitan Avenue to avoid delays and plans to upgrade bridges, signals, and stations, with construction timelines depending on the design phase. Local officials and transit advocates emphasize that the IBX will transform transit access for historically underserved communities, offering a direct, high-speed connection without detouring through Manhattan.