New York City - Transit News

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State pols push for 'design-build' to speed up BQE repair plans, prevent traffic 'nightmare'

An historic Brooklyn neighborhood could be hit with horrible traffic jams in the future if city officials can’t figure out a way to speed up repairs to the Brooklyn Queens Expressway.

Thousands of trucks may over-run Brooklyn Heights if the worst happens, according to Department of Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg.

Speaking Friday at a press conference above the BQE, Trottenberg said if the repair job takes too long, the agency will be forced to send trucks onto local streets.

“Our best engineers’ estimate is that by 2026, if we don’t have the project pretty much done we’re gonna have to start to do weight restrictions,” Trottenberg said. “And that means diverting trucks.”

The section of the BQE under repair, known as the Triple Cantilever, sees 150,000 cars a day, including 15,000 heavy vehicles.

DOT could cut $100 million from its budget and trim its timeline by two years — likely avoiding a potential traffic nightmare — if state lawmakers pass a bill allowing the city to contract with a single firm to handle the whole project.

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http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/...icle-1.3810747