NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — The Brooklyn Queens Expressway will be getting a major facelift starting Friday — forcing the closure of one lane to extend the life expectancy of the roadway.
The city's Department of Transportation announced Friday it "will shift lane markings on the BQE from Atlantic Avenue to the Brooklyn Bridge from three to two lanes in both directions" with "substantial delays," suggesting drivers take public transportation and access the use of the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel and the New Jersey Turnpike.
Work on the major highway will start Friday evening with the lane shift going into effect beginning Monday.
“During this necessary work on the BQE, we strongly encourage drivers to seek alternate routes and use public transportation," DOT Commissioner Hank Gutman said. "This lane remarking may be inconvenient for some, but it is essential to making the road safer immediately and for decades to come."
DOT officials said the modifications will promote safety by providing dedicated exit and entrance lanes and provide an adequate shoulder that will minimize the impact of traffic incidents.