Astoria residents who want to provide the city with input on the Brooklyn Queens Connector can do so tonight at a visioning session.
The session will take place at the Variety Boys & Girls Club at 6 p.m. with a presentation from New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) President Maria Torres-Springer. The city will also gather input on trip patterns, transportation usage and streetscape preferences.
After the presentation, attendees will be split into several groups of 8 to 10 people. Each group will have a facilitator to “frame the purpose of the exercise and manage the flow of the conversation” and a note taker, according to NYCEDC spokesperson Stephanie Báez.
City staff will also be available to answer further questions.
The proposed plan would link 10 cities in a 16-mile route along the waterfront. A study by NYCEDC found that daily ridership would be 48,900 by 2035 and the total construction would cost $2.5 billion.
The project was first proposed by nonprofit group Friends of Brooklyn Queens Connector in January. There have been conflicting opinions on the streetcar plan, with many saying it will provide more transportation options and further economic development, while others argue that the money could be spent more wisely to improve transportation deserts in Queens.
The Variety Boys & Girls Club is located 21-12 30th Rd. in Astoria. To RSVP to the event, click here.
