New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced plans to move forward with the Interborough Express in January. The multiple benefits the transit project will have for the underserved areas of Brooklyn and Queens makes it essential the MTA prioritize the actualization of the Interborough Express.

The Interborough Express would create a direct public transit option from Bay Ridge, Brooklyn to Jackson Heights, Queens. It would also connect up to 17 different subway lines, including the Long Island Rail Road.

“It would create a new transit option for close to 900,000 residents of the neighborhoods along the route, along with 260,000 people who work in Brooklyn and Queens,” according to the MTA. “Its projected initial ridership would be 74,000 to 88,000 weekday riders.”

Aside from benefiting New Yorkers who travel from Brooklyn to Queens, the MTA itself would benefit from the large ridership the Interborough Express will create.

The budget for the Interborough Express is still to be determined, according to the MTA. While it is being assessed, the MTA should prioritize allocating the necessary funds to support the project.

The continuation of this plan will not only expand opportunities for those living in the neighborhoods but the MTA system as a whole.