The Interborough Express (IBX), the light rail project that would speed travel between Brooklyn and Queens, is years away. But recent public workshops are making the project feel like it’s gaining some momentum. We attended two of them — one in Elmhurst in Queens and one in Ditmas Park in Brooklyn — to see which issues mattered most to communities along the route. Spoiler: The open or gangway cars were a hot topic.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is hosting two final workshops where you can meet the planners and engineers behind the conversion of a 14-mile freight line that runs from Jackson Heights to Bay Ridge. The sessions are designed for you to ask questions, try out seats and post thoughts on design boards to help shape the IBX.
Here’s a glimpse of what the two earlier sessions showed about where neighbors stand on everything from station features to lighting and accessibility.
What neighbors most value in the IBX
Safety, accessibility and quick transfers showed up as some of the top design values among attendees at both workshops.
“Safety, perceived or otherwise, is critical for people when choosing — not needing — public transit,” wrote one attendee in Elmhurst. “Accessibility is often overlooked in design, and moving quickly is critical for people to choose this mode of transit over others.”
These values played out in details around lighting, signage, seating and poles, and in the controversial question of open gangway vs. closed cars.
Softly lighting the way
Workshop participants were particularly sensitive to lighting. Attendees in Queens overwhelmingly favored indirect lighting inside trains. They wrote that softer illumination feels calmer, warmer and less sterile than direct lighting. Several participants also asked planners to avoid overly bright or flashing lights that could trigger seizures.
“A well-lit platform and station are absolutely necessary to bring a sense of safety,” wrote one Queens workshop participant. Their caveat was key: “No harsh LED lights.”
At both workshops, participants requested better wayfinding, including larger signs, more maps, live customer assistance and clearer transfer guidance.
Some Queens workshop attendees called for seamless transfers at Roosevelt Avenue and easy connections to existing subway and commuter rail lines. One called for platforms wide enough to accommodate large crowds and with minimal columns, “enough space to feel safe.”
Take several seats
The IBX workshops are designed to be hands-on: Attendees move through different rooms to explore design displays, post feedback and ask questions of planners and engineers. Along the way, they can also try out different seating models.
The seat styles vary. One model most closely resembles the seats used on most subway trains. Another has the carpet-like texture of seats on an express bus, while a third features curved upper and lower back support.
Beyond seat comfort, participants in Elmhurst called for flexible seating for seniors, people with disabilities and parents with strollers. Attendees at the Flatbush workshop also supported folding seats and open layouts. One participant suggested having a train’s accessible cars stop closest to station elevators.
But among Brooklyn residents, bike access drew the most attention in the accessibility conversation. Participants proposed bike rack hooks, designated bike storage areas and even train cars dedicated to bicycles.
The poles you hold
Most workshop attendees favored stanchions, or train poles mounted to the floor you hold while standing, over railings connected to seats. They said floor-mounted poles allowed for the most grip space, especially in crowded rush hour trains.
“Too much closeness having everyone hover over seats,” wrote one attendee in Elmhurst, referring to the stanchions connected to seats.
Some participants suggested a mix of both, so passengers can hold onto something if the floor-mounted pole is blocked by others.
Fewer ads, more local art
At both the Elmhurst and Flatbush workshops, attendees called for clearer audio announcements, visible countdown clocks, easier navigation and real-time transfer information.
“Clocks everywhere!” wrote one participant in Elmhurst, echoing comments from attendees at both workshops. “Audio announcements that are actually audible.”
The MTA plans to build 18 stations as part of the IBX project. Many attendees at the Brooklyn workshop objected to a proposal to put many advertising-heavy digital displays in the new stations, instead calling for a single screen with only train and stop information.
“Use the opportunity to highlight community art, less ads,” one attendee wrote.
The comment echoed many requests among Elmhurst attendees for public art and station designs that reflected the surrounding communities’ cultures and neighborhood histories. Many called for local artists to create murals, mosaics and other artwork. Their suggestions ranged from South Asian-inspired art near Jackson Heights to hidden sculptures and colorful tilework reminiscent of older subway stations.
Some recommendations were less art, more utility: solar-powered heaters or fans on the IBX platforms for extreme weather, food kiosks and public toilets.
Open gangways gain support in Elmhurst, split Flatbush
An open-gangway train connects subway cars, allowing passengers to move freely between them. The MTA rolled out some of these cars on the C line in 2024 and on the G line last year as part of its plan to start replacing aging subway cars from the 1980s with newer models equipped with security cameras.
But this new style isn’t exactly new: Walk-through cars were the norm in New York City between 1925 and 1965, before the system switched to enclosed steel cars.
Now they may be just the thing again with the IBX. At least, it looked that way at the April 28 workshop in Elmhurst: Near the end of the session, roughly 82% of participants who commented on sticky notes favored open gangways over closed cars.
Participants cited better use of space, greater flexibility during crowded trips and easier movement between cars. Some described the design as safer and more efficient, with one attendee saying it offered “fewer possibilities for accidents.”
Among those hesitant about open gangways, one attendee wrote that separate cars made it easier to escape unruly passengers if needed, while another said they make it easier to leave a malfunctioning car.
Attendees at the May 7 workshop in Flatbush were much more divided. By the end of the session, sticky notes on the vehicle design were essentially split 50-50 on open gangways. Some embraced the design as a “no brainer,” arguing it’s the more flexible option. Others rejected it outright, writing that enclosed cars feel safer and cozier. “CLOSED PLEASE!” one participant wrote. “Concerning that you can’t change cars if someone is harassing you.”
Another wrote: “Gangways are great — but NYC is not ready for them yet.” The author imagined gunfire traveling down the open gangway and foul odors otherwise trapped in one car spreading throughout the train.
What happens next — and how you can weigh in
The IBX may not be ready to roll until the early 2030s, but planners say feedback gathered during these workshops will help shape the project. The final two workshops currently scheduled are:
- Thursday, May 28, 6 to 8 p.m. at P.S. 88Q, 60-85 Catalpa Ave. in Ridgewood, Queens
- Saturday, May 30, 10 a.m. to noon at East New York Arts & Civic High School, 800 Van Siclen Ave. in Brooklyn
You can also find MTA officials making presentations on the light rail project to community boards along the IBX route in Brooklyn and Queens. If more meetings are scheduled, notices will appear on the IBX landing page.
If you’re unable to attend one of the public meetings, you can still share your preferences and submit comments through this online form. Riders can weigh in on station design features, areas surrounding stations and the overall rider experience. You can also email IBXoutreach@mtacd.org.
To stay updated on the long-range project, you can sign up for the IBX mailing list.
