A ride on the IBX will take passengers through many of NYC’s most diverse neighborhoods situated in Queens and Brooklyn. From the culture of Jackson Heights, home to endless restaurants that dish up international cuisine, to the lively art and music scene in Bushwick, there is no shortage of fun and excitement along the MTA’s proposed 14-mile route for the light rail.
Rolling through south Brooklyn on the IBX (formally called the Interborough Express) are the towns of Flatbush and East Flatbush, known for commercial retail shopping, residential areas and multiple bus lines that get Brooklynites around the borough. Many notable public figures are from this area; former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani, legendary actress and singer Barbra Streisand, former commissioner of the NYPD James O’Neill, and rapper Busta Rhymes once called Flatbush and East Flatbush Brooklyn home.
This historic, working-class neighborhood, home to around 150,000 people, may soon be home to a nearby IBX stop. The MTA is planning a stop along the light rail at Utica Avenue, a major north-south thoroughfare in Brooklyn named after the city in upstate New York.
While the MTA is still deciding on the exact location for the Utica Avenue stop, at least one thing is confirmed so far: the planning for the IBX. Transit officials celebrated two milestones for the project this year, marking the entry into the design phase on July 30, followed by environmental reviews on October 15, both of which are still ongoing alongside public comment sessions.
Transit officials maintain the IBX will provide many benefits for New Yorkers who live and/or work in Brooklyn and Queens. A full one-way ride on the train is expected to be around 33 minutes and provide a direct link to the two boroughs without going through Manhattan, as most NYC trains do.
Gov. Kathy Hochul, whose office runs the MTA, said the train will provide a fast commute for many outer-borough New Yorkers.
“The IBX will dramatically improve the commutes of over 160,000 daily riders and we are moving full-speed ahead to keep this transformational project on track,” Hochul said. “Beginning environmental review is yet another statement of intent that in New York, we don’t just talk about major infrastructure projects, we build them.”
The IBX is also positioned to provide access to nearby Flatlands in Brooklyn. Once a farming community, eye-catching Victorian structures from the 1800s still line local streets in this town.
This section of Brooklyn even had its own police department at one time, before merging with the City of Brooklyn Police Department prior to the consolidation of the City of New York in 1898.
Shopping on Utica Avenue
The IBX’s Utica Avenue stop, wherever the MTA places it, will be a sort of retail rail, bringing passengers to a shopping oasis in Brooklyn. Kings Plaza, a multi-level mall situated near the busy intersection of Utica and Flatbush Avenues, serves as an anchor in Mill Basin.
A major stop on Utica Avenue’s B46 local bus, Kings Plaza is packed with stores that are shoppers’ favorite, including Burlington, Primark and Macy’s.
Shopping is not confined to Kings Plaza, however. New Yorkers looking to makeover or furnish their homes will likely have no problem finding that perfect couch, kitchen table or accents like bookcases and area rugs; a row of furniture stores are open across the street from the mall, including Bob’s Discount Furniture, Raymour and Flanigan, P.C. Richard & Son, not to mention an array of small business home design specialty shops.
Big-box furniture and large-appliance stores typically offer delivery, leaving shoppers who use public transit free to explore the area before heading home. The B46 bus runs along Utica Avenue, from Kings Plaza to Williamsburg Bridge Plaza. Most of Utica Avenue has a bus lane to help speed up the ride.
Supporters of the IBX project say the train will offer an easy connection between Queens and Brooklyn’s communities, including around the Utica Avenue stop, a gateway to a vibrant retail hub.
But opponents of the IBX are concerned about the side effects of the train, such as noise pollution, gentrification increasing around newly installed transit and overall crowding in mostly quiet, residential neighborhoods.
Jibreel Jalloh, founder and executive director of the civic group, The Flossy Organization, said any local transit project “must come with real affordability and anti-displacement protections” so residents are not pushed out of their neighborhoods, including Flatbush, Canarsie and other areas poised for an IBX stop.
“And because most people in Canarsie will still take a bus to connect to the IBX, we need broader infrastructure upgrades to ensure the whole community benefits,” Jalloh told amNewYork.
The proposed IBX train, while promising significant transit benefits and economic access for Brooklyn and Queens, also faces real concerns from communities regarding noise pollution, potential gentrification and displacement.
In the meantime, MTA and state officials are moving forward with project planning that includes opportunities for public comment.
Previous IBX Stop by Stop stories
Maspeth has small-town charm in America’s most crowded city
The proposed light rail rolls through Middle Village near a ‘crown jewel’ of Queens parks
NYC’s proposed light rail to roll under hallowed ground in Middle Village
Light rail would bring New Yorkers into trendy Glendale and Ridgewood
A ride through Bushwick, an oasis of art, quirky bars, community spaces and a hipster vibe
East New York could be in for real estate boom when light rail line arrives at Atlantic Avenue
Proposed light rail brings New Yorkers into historic East New York at Sutter Avenue
Light rail to bring new opportunities to Southeast Brooklyn and with Linden Blvd. stop
Light-rail’s Canarsie stop ushers in new era for transit-starved neighborhood
