Architecture firm BIG has unveiled a proposal to overhaul a portion of New York City's Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, known as the BQE, with a public park that covers a subterranean roadway.
Revealed today, the BQP is a comprehensive roadway and park plan focused on the historic neighbourhood of Brooklyn Heights close to Downtown Brooklyn.
BIG developed the 538,195-square-foot (50,000-square-metre) proposal to replace the portion of the elevated BQE that passes along the edge of the residential area. The highway is currently in three-tiers and in dire need of replacement.
BIG's proposals for the portion of the BQE include repairing existing infrastructure and adding more green space
"The result is a condition more reminiscent of Brooklyn Heights historical conditions ? where city and river interlaced seamlessly, prior to construction of the highway," said a project description by the firm. BIG, which has a New York office nearby in Dumbo, added that it was "inspired by the opportunity to work in our own backyard". The BQE was built by Robert Moses in the 1950s, and spans from Brooklyn to Queens, linking the two New York City boroughs together.
It also joins numerous bridges to access Manhattan and formally acts as Interstate 278. On its upper levels, vehicles pass to access further parts of Brooklyn, the city and beyond.
Located in Brooklyn Heights, this portion of the BQE also includes Furman Street at its lowest tier, and accommodates local traffic.
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