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BQE Update Summer 2021 2 Agenda

1. Introduction from Commissioner Gutman

2. Extending Structural Life & Promoting Safety

3. Advancing Practical Near-Term Repairs

4. Laying Groundwork for a Long-Term Community Vision 3 Introduction

• Built in 1954, the BQE needs a new vision for its future.

• Every day, the BQE carries thousands of trucks – 15-25% which are overweight based on recent data – which damage the structure and harm nearby communities.

• We have a once in a lifetime opportunity to get the BQE right. 4 Introduction (cont’d)

Our immediate and long-term objectives are:

• Extending structural life & promoting safety

• A BQE with fewer, smaller, and cleaner trucks

• Reimagining the future of the BQE through community- driven planning 5

2 Extending Structural Life & Promoting Safety 6 Structural Preservation

Structure of BQE can be preserved for minimum of 20 years by:

• Enhancing preventative maintenance

• Initiating preventative maintenance and operation regime

• Installing verification and expanding monitoring protocols 7 Structural Preservation 7

• Preservation methods will stop water infiltration in order to address corrosion. These include: o Methods to address the intrusion of water into the structure by addressing the joints, improving drainage, and reintroducing waterproofing. o Alternatives to salt for deicing

• Rigorous, ongoing maintenance

• Timeline: Phase 1 installation: Summer 2022 Full cantilever installation: 2023–2026 8 Monitoring to Improve Knowledge of Health of Structure

• Install sensors on portion of BQE

• Sensors will be placed at specific locations to provide insight to the behavior of the structure and allow real-time monitoring

• Timeline: Already installed; preliminary results by August; install additional sensors by May 2022 9 Two Lane Conversion

• Reduce BQE from 3 to 2 lanes each direction (Atlantic Ave to BK Bridge)

• Key recommendation outlined in BQE Expert Panel (Jan 2020) and City Council Report (Feb 2020)

• This will reduce weight and wear and tear; the full BQE plan will extend use of the structure for trucks beyond 2026

• Timeline: August 30, 2021 10 Two Lane Conversion: The Problem | Safety (2019)

In 2019, ~300 crashes and ~200 disabled vehicles occurred on Brooklyn Bridge the BQE between the Prospect 2 crashes per week Expressway and Brooklyn Bridge: 113 per year • Incidents occur over 9 times/week

• 94% of incidents fully close one or more lanes • Average incident duration is 65 minutes o 48 minutes to clear Total Annual o Additional 17 minutes of Crashes recovery (2019) 300 Atlantic Avenue 4 crashes per week 187 per year

*Combined total of incidents in both the Queens Boundand Staten Island Bound directions

Source: TRANSCOM Event Report 2019: BQE only

10 11 Two Lane Conversion: The Problem | Safety

• Existing entry ramps at Atlantic Avenue are a safety concern and are frequent locations for incidents & crashes.

Queens Bound Atlantic Ave Entry Ramp Staten Island Bound Atlantic Ave Queens Bound Entry Ramp at Atlantic Ave Entry Ramp

Staten Island Bound Entry Ramp at Atlantic Ave

11 12 Two-Lane Conversion | Cantilever Cross-Section

Existing Condition Two-Lane Condition

Shoulder

Shoulder

12 13 Two-Lane Conversion | Queens Bound

Existing Two-Lane Plan

No Acceleration New Lane – Acceleratio Requires Merge n Lane

13 14 Two-Lane Conversion | Queens Bound | Exit to Brooklyn Bridge

Existing

Exit 28B Exit 28A Brooklyn Bridge Cadman Plaza W

Two Lane Plan

Exit 28A Exit 28B Cadman Plaza W Brooklyn Bridge

14 15 Two-Lane Conversion | Staten Island Bound | Vine St On-Ramp from Brooklyn Bridge

Existing Two Lane Plan

15 16 Two-Lane Conversion | Staten Island Bound

Existing Two-Lane Plan

No Dedicated Dedicated Entry Lane: Entry Lane: Requires Merge No Merge

16 17 Two-Lane Conversion: Minimizing Effects

1. Maximize Use of Hugh Carey Tunnel

• Fewer vehicles on the BQE Triple Cantilever

2. Freight Management

• Reduce the effects of trucks

3. Neighborhood Protection Plan

• Improve traffic flow on arterials • Communication to drivers • Monitor conditions (ongoing review and adjustments)

Photo: Paul Martinka | New York Post, Jan 2020

17 18 Minimizing Effects | Maximize Use of Hugh Carey Tunnel

Hugh Carey Tunnel faster than the Brooklyn Bridge via BQE to East or West Side of Manhattan

• Drivers can save o Average of 7 min to West Side o Average of 2 min to East Side • Public awareness campaign o Digital signs with travel times o HOV lane emphasis • Diverts vehicles from BQE Triple Cantilever • During periods of congestion on the Triple Cantilever, 1% to 13% of vehicles divert to the Hugh Carey Tunnel

Source: INRIX, 2019

18 19 Minimizing Effects | Automated Enforcement

• Direct outreach to trucking industry/major operators

• Enhanced wayfinding for truck routes to keep trucks off residential streets

• Automated enforcement for overweight and/or over dimensional trucks

Note: Visual is demonstrative and does not necessarily depict exact sign locations

19 20 Minimizing Effects | Automated Enforcement

• Sen Kavanagh & AM Simon passed legislation in Albany that allows weigh- in-motion (WIM) devices to conduct automated overweight truck enforcement on BQE

• CMs Levin & Lander also passed a home rule message at the Council level

• Legislation will be sent to Governor at some point this year for signature, Governor's support is critical to allowing automated enforcement 21 Minimizing Effects | VMS Messaging

Variable Message Sign (VMS) devices are essential for communicating diversion routes and traffic conditions

Potential Alternate Route Existing Route Sample VMS Locations: Gowanus Expy Sample VMS Locations: FDR Dr VMS Locations with Messaging

21 22 Minimizing Effects | Communications & Marketing Plan

Developing a messaging plan that mirrors the successful effort of UN General Assembly to keep drivers off the roads • Press • Web • Social Media • Radio Ads • Digital Ads • Owned Displays

22 23 Minimizing Effects| Monitoring

Traffic in the local community will be minimized through ongoing monitoring and optimization of traffic flow. The monitoring program includes:

• Extensive on-site personnel to monitor and manage and address issues in real-time • Coordination with NYPD for Traffic Enforcement Agent (TEA) deployment • Carefully track effects of new configuration and implement changes in real time, if needed

23 24 Minimizing Effects | Monitoring | On-Site Monitoring

On-Site traffic managers and field personnel to monitor & manage traffic in real time • Work in partnership with JTMC

• Ensure rapid response to incidents on the BQE and detour routes

• Identify locations with extensive queuing and congestion

• Identify excessive diversions to local residential streets • Monitor trucking activity and compliance with designated truck routes

• Identify locations for additional roadway adjustments

24 25 Minimizing Effects| Monitoring | NYPD TEAs

• NYPD Traffic Enforcement Agents (TEAs) staffed on an as needed basis to manage traffic at key neighborhood locations

25 26

3 Advancing Practical Near-Term Repairs 27 Hicks Street Retaining Wall & Deck Spans

Joralemon Street

Span 34 Wall Repairs at Hicks Street • Timeline: Fall 2020 – Fall 2021

• Work includes repairing concrete and rebar on retaining wall

Deck Span Repairs

• Span 34 – Clark St (QB) and Span 4 – Grace Ct (QB)

• Timeline: Planned for 2022

Span 4 • Will require some partial and complete weekend lane closures in each direction 28 Internal Structural Work

2 Joralemon South Abutment Wall Columbia Heights Drainage Issues

1 Joralemon Street – North Abutment Wall 2 Clark Street

Joralemon St Abutment & Clark St Fan Plant

1 • Repair flags and cracks, joint issues, concrete, and deterioration

• Timeline: Planned for 2022, expected to complete in 2022 • LimitedColumbia local effects Heights because work is interior Drainage Issues Clark Street 29 Structural Work (cont’d)

• Additional Work: As work is underway, additional repair needs will be identified and addressed 3 • All work will be reviewed for compliance with any applicable land use and environmental review laws, 1 which may include NEPA, CEQR, SEQRA, and 2 ULURP 4

Tentative Work - note that these spans are still being reviewed from the preservation perspective to see if other solutions exist to achieve 20-year service life: • Old Fulton (1) & Washington St (2) Structures: Deck and superstructure replacement; abutment wall repairs

• Prospect (3) & Sands St (4) Structures: Deck replacement with steel strengthening

• Some traffic and noise • Timeline: Planned for 2023, completion ~2 years Old Fulton Street Deck (1) Washington Street Abutment Wall (2) 30

4 Reimagining the Entire Corridor 31 A Bigger, Better Plan

• Reimagine the future of the BQE – no longer the “only truck highway in Brooklyn”

• Part of a vision to decrease reliance on trucks for moving goods (currently move 90% of goods by truck)

• Shift goods delivery from trucks to barge, rail, and last mile clean/small vehicles

• Working with partners like EDC, Port Authority, private sector 32 A Bigger, Better Plan

• Need a clear BQE corridor-wide vision from Staten Island to Queens

• DOT consultant will engage stakeholders along corridor to formulate a vision and illustrative concept for BQE

• Vision plan will inform next Mayoral Administration and the governance entity proposed by Sen Kavanagh/AM Simon

• Timeline: Process begins Fall 2021 33 Next Steps & Contacts

• Launching Quarterly Meetings: DOT will launch quarterly meetings to discuss overall BQE framework – next meeting in Fall 2021

• Project-Specific/Construction Meetings: DOT will host project-specific meetings (similar to Hicks St) to discuss construction plans and local effects

• Next Public Meeting: DOT will present to BK Community Board 2's Transportation Committee on Thursday, September 16 at 6pm; Further details at: www.nyc.gov/brooklyncb2 for details

• Email: [email protected]

• Website: www.nyc.gov/BQE