“A Just Way, Not the Highway”: BQE Environmental Justice Coalition Call for Community-Led Solutions

In a resounding call for urgent action, the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway Environmental Justice Coalition held a press conference today demanding comprehensive measures to address the hazardous environmental and health crises stemming from the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE).
Gathered at the Triangle at the Intersection of 3rd Avenue and 16th Street in Brooklyn, the coalition, comprising residents, environmental justice advocates, organizations, allies, and elected officials, articulated a series of demands aimed at rectifying the dire impacts of the BQE on affected communities across Brooklyn and Queens.
The coalition specifically called for a comprehensive corridor-wide transformation of the BQE and for the immediate suspension of plans to rebuild the cantilever section of the BQE for another century of motor vehicles.. They emphasized the need for decisive action to correct environmental injustices, including addressing air pollution, traffic violence, and climate change affecting communities corridor-wide.
Furthermore, the coalition urged the approval and implementation of shovel-ready community-led plans such as the BQEGreen in Williamsburg and Sunset Park Greenway-Blueway, offering tangible solutions for a more sustainable and equitable BQE. Advocating for the dissolution of segmented planning in favor of a unified approach supporting community-led planning rooted in environmental justice principles for the entire BQE corridor.
The press conference saw the participation of elected officials, including Borough President Antonio Reynoso, Assemblywoman Jo Anne Simon, Assemblywoman Emily Gallagher, CM Lincoln Restler, CM Jennifer Gutiérrez, and State Senator Andrew Gournades. Representatives from various organizations, including El Puente, UPROSE, New York City Environmental Justice Alliance, 350 Brooklyn, and many others, were also in attendance.
The event included banners, signs, and a diverse assembly of community members, activists, and elected officials, highlighting the urgency of the coalition's message.