Gowanus Businesses Want Tunnel Study

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Business owners in Red Hook and Sunset Park concerned about traffic changes have asked Governor Pataki to conduct a study looking at the long term economic, social and environmental impacts of different plans before reconstructing the elevated Gowanus Expressway. Rebuilding the roadway will cost $1 billion while a tunnel may cost anywhere from $2.5 to $7 billion. However, many prefer the tunnel as it would last much longer, be cheaper to maintain and help reunite the waterfront with the rest of Brooklyn.

T.A. and its allies on the Gowanus Expressway Community Coalition have filed suit in Federal Court claiming that State and Federal transportation authorities are violating the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) by refusing to conduct a Major Investment Study (MIS). Congressional representatives Nydia Velazquez and Jerry Nadler have requested $25 million from the ISTEA budget to perform a detailed MIS and tunnel study.