A panel discussion on the proposed Brooklyn Queens Connector (also known as BQX) is scheduled for Tuesday, March 5, at 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. at the Brooklyn Brewery (79 N. 11th St.); the talk is hosted by Friends of the Brooklyn Queens Connector, RSVP here.
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams will moderate a discussion with small business owners, organizers, and experts from Seattle, Portland, Toronto, Kansas City, and St. Paul. Small group brewery tours begin at 6:00 and 6:30 pm. and the panel discussion starts at 7 p.m. Complimentary food and drinks will be available.
The BQX is a streetcar that would span 11 miles of dedicated lanes from Astoria to Red Hook with stops half a mile apart connecting to nine ferries, 30 buses, and 13 subway lines.
According to the BQX website:
The BQX is anticipated to cost approximately $2.7 billion to construct. These estimates assume that the BQX will be built and operated using all union labor. Half the project can be paid for by a bond issued against future tax revenue increases from commercial and multifamily properties along the BQX route and will not not rely upon any new residential rezonings or tax rate increases. Furthermore, the project is estimated to created $30 billion in economic value over the coming decades which is over 10 times its capital cost.