Resolution supporting the continued exploration and feasibility evaluation of the proposed Interborough Express.

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Res. No. 109 ..Title Resolution supporting the continued exploration and feasibility evaluation of the proposed Interborough Express. ..Body By Council Members Brooks-Powers, Cab�n, Hanif, Bottcher, Krishnan, Narcisse, Far�as, Vel�zquez, Holden, Schulman, Gennaro, Richardson Jordan, Won, Stevens, Barron, Oss�, Riley, Restler, Guti�rrez, Kagan, Rivera, Nurse, Williams, Sanchez and Brannan Whereas, Access to close, affordable and effective transportation can have important impacts on a person's health, social and economic statuses; and Whereas, Despite New York City's reputation for having a robust public transit system, there are still many 'transit desert' areas in the city that lack adequate transportation options, as well as a lack of efficient direct routes between the outer boroughs; and Whereas, One transit proposal that is currently being considered by the New York State Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to connect underserved transit areas of Brooklyn and Queens is the Interborough Express (IBX); and Whereas, The proposed IBX project would be built along the 14-mile freight line that runs from Bay Ridge, Brooklyn to Jackson Heights, Queens; and Whereas, Once completed, the IBX would create a new transit option for approximately 900,000 residents living in the neighborhoods along the route plus an additional 260,000 people who work in the two boroughs; and Whereas, The proposed IBX project would cut down on travel times between the two boroughs, reduce congestion, and expand economic opportunities for the people who live and work in the surrounding neighborhoods; and Whereas, The current plan has the IBX connecting to 17 subway lines and to the MTA's Long Island Rail Road; and Whereas, In January 2022, the MTA released the IBX Feasibility Study and Alternatives Analysis, which evaluated several modes of transportation along the planned corridor. The study identified three potential alternative transit methods for the IBX: Conventional Rail; Light Rail Transit; or Bus Rapid Transit; and Whereas, Each alternative would follow the 14-mile corridor with the Conventional Rail and Light Rail Transit trains running every five minutes during peak frequency while the Bus Rapid Transit would run every 2.5 minutes; and Whereas, With the Feasibility Study and Alternatives Analysis complete, the next step for the project would be for the MTA to conduct the environmental review process to evaluate the feasibility of the three potential alternatives for the IBX and to seek input from community members, elected officials and other stakeholders; and Whereas, During her 2022 State of the State address, Governor Kathy Hochul indicated her intention to move forward with the expansion of the IBX and directed the MTA to begin its environmental review process; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York, supports the continued exploration and feasibility evaluation of the proposed Interborough Express. RA LS #7378 4/4/2022

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