PROACTIVE MOBILITY PLANNING A DYNAMIC FUTURE
INTERBOROUGH EXPRESS (IBX)
In October 2024, the MTA released a Request for Proposals (RFP) to solicit consultant bids for the preliminary engineering phase of the Interborough Express (IBX). This represents a major step in the design of this transformative light rail transit project that will connect communities in Brooklyn and Queens to 17 subway lines, over 50 bus routes, and the Long Island Rail Road at the East New York and Woodside stations. As the majority of residents and workers in the project corridor travel between and among Brooklyn and Queens, IBX will significantly reduce travel times by eliminating the need for an inefficient subway route through Manhattan.
The project has undergone significant refinement over the past year to ensure that it will provide the best service for passengers at the best value. In Middle Village, Queens, the MTA is advancing design of a tunnel solution beneath Metropolitan Avenue rather than on-street operations. This would reduce the potential for travel delays due to mixed traffic operations, result- ing in shorter end-to-end travel times, and making the project more resilient with a dedicated right-of-way for light rail operations. In East New York, Brook- lyn, a station location north of Atlantic
Avenue within an MTA-controlled site is being advanced. Locating an IBX station here will facilitate transfers to the A, C, J and Z trains at the Broadway Junction station complex, as well as the LIRR East New York Station on Atlantic Avenue, creating further opportunities to move efficiently between IBX and the existing transit network. The MTA has also reduced the total number of bridges along the project corridor that require reconstruction and iden- tified stations where one center platform can be constructed instead of two side platforms. These and additional project refinements will be explored during the upcoming preliminary engineering phase of the project.
"More than 5 million people live in Brooklyn and Queens and many of them want to travel between the two boroughs for jobs, education and all that NYC has to offer,” said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber. “We need an easier way to move between the two boroughs, and that is exactly what the IBX delivers.”
In 2025, a consultant will be selected to begin the preliminary engineering phase of the project. Additional public meetings will be announced in the future, including public hear- ings associated with the environmental review process.
QUEENS BUS NETWORK REDESIGN
This project is part of the larger effort to modernize the bus network and improve service in New York City, with the goal of meeting customers’ priorities for more reliable service, faster travel, better connections, and ease of use. With 113 bus routes serving 800,000 riders on an average weekday, Queens has more bus routes and bus riders than any other borough. Almost half of Queens residents rely on public transit for their daily commutes, with many dependent on local bus service. Over the years, Queens has grown and changed, resulting in shifting demographics and travel patterns. However, the Queens bus network has not substantially changed in decades, resulting in declining ridership, bus speeds, and reliability. The Queens Bus Network Redesign is aimed at enhancing the bus experience for
27 ANNUAL REPORT 2024 | NYMTC
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