MTA schedules open houses for Interborough Express project

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) plans to hold a series of open houses throughout spring to review plans for the proposed Interborough Express (IBX). 

The IBX would connect communities in Brooklyn and Queens, New York, to 17 subway lines, 51 bus routes and MTA Long Island Rail Road lines (via East New York Station). The express system will significantly reduce travel times within and between the two boroughs and attract 115,000 riders each weekday, according to the MTA. 

In October 2024, the authority issued a request for proposals for the preliminary engineering phase of the IBX, which is expected to take about two years to complete. The construction start would depend on full MTA board approval and funding. 

“The Interborough Express will give Brooklyn and Queens the fast, reliable and frequent public transit connection they deserve,” said MTA Construction and Development President Jamie Torres-Springer in a press release. “This project will transform mobility in New York’s two largest boroughs.” 

The first open house will be held March 27 in Ridgewood, Queens. The public meeting, which will feature a short presentation and informational posters, will be attended by MTA representatives, who will answer questions and address comments or concerns. 

Other open houses will be held April 3 in Canarsie, Brooklyn; April 22 in Borough Park, Brooklyn; and May 8 in Jackson Heights, Queens. The MTA previously held three virtual and five in-person open houses on the IBX.