Bay Ridge X Astoria Subway Line?

MTA

The MTA is exploring a new outer-borough subway line connecting Bay Ridge, Brooklyn with Astoria, Queens – it would be the second subway line to not travel through Manhattan. The transit agency announced they have contracted engineering and planning firm AECOM to study the feasibility of the project. The line, which has been pushed for decades by transit advocates including the Regional Plan Association, would connect existing right of ways on freight tracks over 16 miles and connecting 19 subway lines and the Long Island Railroad. 

Known as the Bay Ridge Branch, The route would run through the Sunset Park, Midwood, East New York, Brownsville, Bushwick, Glendale, Middle Village, and Elmhurst neighborhoods. 

The feasibility study will examine connecting the existing LIRR and CSX freight lines for use as by subway, commuter rail, light rail or bus service. 

If the proposal looks familiar to you – that's because it's one half of the proposed Triboro RX subway line that we've covered – and advocated for – over the years. The Triboro line would continue from Astoria all the way to Co-op City in the Bronx.

The outer boroughs have long lacked adequate transit and recent findings show that more New Yorkers commute within the outer boroughs than into Manhattan and the city is gaining more jobs in the outer boroughs. The subways are designed to go in and out of Manhattan, leaving New Yorkers who travel between boroughs with lengthy commutes despite a short distance between points.