BQE Multicache / The 20th Century Dictator of NYC Multi-Cache

IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT YOU READ THE ENTIRE DESC. PAGE AS YOU GO ABOUT SOLVING THE CACHE

Robert Moses, once an all-time power broker of not just New York City, but New York State, was in ‘power’ for over 40 years during the mid 20th century. Robert Moses was born in New Haven in 1888 and grew up there and in Manhattan later in his childhood. He was born into wealth, allowing him to study at Yale. Moses moved back to New York City, getting into government-related positions. He became the NYS Secretary of State for a brief period of time, before being appointed as Parks Commissioner for NYC, as well as the Long Island Parks President and the Chairman of the New York State Parks Council. He built a whopping 627 miles of roads in and around New York City. He also created 658 playgrounds. While this improved the efficiency and recreation of the most heavily populated city as in the country, he very seldom, if ever, even acknowledged the lower class communities/neighborhoods. Moses drew out his highway plans, cutting right through several lower-class, immigrant neighborhoods. This wiped out their commercial streets or divided the neighborhood, leaving harsh effects to this day. He was viewed as a man of the people, however he did not give them much thought and he, surprisingly, never even had his drivers license. How does this have anything to do with his role as Parks Commissioner? No one will ever know. 

This Multicache will follow one of Moses’ most impactful projects. From Greenpoint to Bay Ridge, it is despised amongst most New Yorkers for its usual status of being ‘stationary’. It is something that you look at from another road, from your apartment window, from the train, and think, ‘Well I’m sure glad I’m not driving on that right now’. Not even the Major Deegan or the George Washington Bridge could top the nightmare that is… 

THE BROOKLYN-QUEENS-EXPRESSWAY

boo

However, the BQE is an incredibly important highway when it comes to efficiency, holding all Staten Island commuters by car, Long Islanders visiting grandma in Jersey, and those getting in or out of Brooklyn by car in general. 

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Following the Brooklyn-Queens-Expressway, Greenpoint to Bay Ridge, end to end, stopping at 5 key sections of the expressway.

• Greenpoint/Williamsburg Viaduct {Closest Train: Nassau St - G & Graham Av - L}
• Navy Yard Viaduct {Closest Train: York St - F & DeKalb Av - B/Q/R}
• Triple Cantilever Dwntwn Bklyn {Closest Train: Clark St - 2/3 & High St - A/C}
• Sunset Pk/Gowanus Viaduct {Closest Train: Prospect Av - R}
• Bay Ridge Trench {Closest Train: Bay Ridge-95 St - R}

A bit of information before we begin - 

This multicache follows the BQE from the start to the end, with 5 waypoints. At each waypoint that is listed here in the description, you'll need to go to the coordinates given. When you reach the coordinates, a question will be given. Around the coordinates, you should be able to find the answer. 

The answers are multiple-choice. On each multiple-choice answer, there will be a number. For example -

 1. ()

2. ()

3. ()

Take the number and remember it.

At the final waypoint, the Bay Ridge Trench sector, add up all the numbers. 3-5 sets of coordinates will be given. Add the numbers from each answered choice up. At the bottom of this description, it'll say "If you have (), go to (coordinates), if you have (), go to (coordinates), etc". The final coordinates will lead to the cache.

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The Brooklyn-Queens-Expressway, or the BQE for short, connects Greenpoint to Bay Ridge, from south Queens to south Brooklyn. The BQE serves 137,000 vehicles daily, 13,000 of them trucks, making the expressway a vital freight corridor. The city owns 12 percent of the BQE, including the triple cantilever in Downtown Brooklyn, while the state owns the other 88 percent, including most of the elevated or trenched parts. 

Construction began in 1937 and finished in 1964, invented by Robert Moses. While the idea was to increase efficiency like his other projects, it tore through several Brooklyn neighborhoods, many of them lower-class and/or immigrant-populated. This cache will have you explore the effects of the BQE through its different sectors, beginning in the first built sector, and ending in the last.

A few extra notes (PLEASE READ OVER) -

• The cache is NOT located at the posted coordinates on the main map; please solve the puzzle throughout the city at the designated stops we tell you to get off at in this description.
• All cache coordinates are located within a 2-10 minute walk of each other
• While walkable if you’re up for it (would encourage if it’s a nice day), these waypoints are not in close walking distance from each other, and driving or using public transportation may be more ideal. 

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Greenpoint/Williamsburg Viaduct

Coordinates at the bottom of this waypoint’s description

The BQE begins in Greenpoint, with construction beginning in the 1950s. And so did the displacement of tens of thousands of people. At the time, and to this day as well, Greenpoint was very much considered a working class neighborhood. This was at a time when Northwest Brooklyn was not the bougie, artsy and expensive place we know of it as today; the commercial streets were absolutely crucial to Greenpoint and Williamsburg. Meeker Avenue was one of, if not the, main commercial streets in the area. Unfortunately, this was right where Moses decided to place his BQE viaduct. While there was pushback from the community, you have to understand that it was the 1950s, they were immigrants and he was a white man who had practically absolute power over NYC’s road system for the last 30 years. Moses was not too bothered. His placement of the viaduct over Meeker Avenue wiped out the prominent commercial area it offered to the neighborhood, displacing thousands of immigrants, which include Eastern European Jews, Italians, Puerto Ricans, Poles, etc. This ended up taking out several blocks and buildings. Walking down Meeker Avenue under the BQE now, it is probably difficult for you to imagine it once being a very prominent commercial area. 

Proceed to the following coordinates to answer the question, and solve step 1/5 of the puzzle -

N40.72250° W073.94095° - {Closest Train: Nassau St - G & Graham Av - L}

QUESTION

You should arrive at a parking lot under the BQE. There are 3 signs on top of each other. Select the answer that lists them all in order from top to bottom.

1. Delivery Trucks Only, Dead End, Slow
2. No Commercial Traffic, Dead End, Speed Limit 5 M.P.H
3. No Commercial Traffic, Dead End, Speed Limit 10 M.P.H

Please make your way to the next station waypoint, the Navy Yard Viaduct.

• Coordinates at the bottom of this waypoint’s description

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Navy Yard Viaduct

The Navy Yards has always been an industrial yard, and was used as a Naval Yard. In 1969, the yard was opened up to industrial use by private manufacturers. While the expressway does provide a divide between the residential neighborhood and the industrial yard, the expressway did slash through the neighborhood. In more recent years, the city has begun to plan for revamps to the expressway in Northern and Downtown Brooklyn, however the expressway has still kept the neighborhood separated from the water. The Navy Yards has also constructed and turned several buildings into usable spaces. 

Proceed to the following coordinates to answer the question, and solve step 2/5 of the puzzle -

N40.69805° W073.97420° - {Closest Train: York St - F & DeKalb Av - B/Q/R}

QUESTION

You should arrive at a brick building with a triangular roof. In front of you, you should see a set of stairs leading to a black door. How many steps are there, including the top step?

1. 8
2. 7
3. 6 

Please make your way to the next waypoint, Triple Cantilever Downtown Brooklyn.

• Coordinates at the bottom of this waypoint’s description

Triple Cantilever Downtown Brooklyn

Welcome to Downtown Brooklyn. The neighborhood was originally known as the Twin Cities, before Moses replaced the commercial area with parking lots and onramps. Brooklyn Bridge Park and the change of the piers into recreation areas happened when the city finally began to take advantage of its incredibly close proximity to the water. With the promenade and piers, more people visiting have flocked to the area and therefore the BQE cantilever is not a good sight. As well, the poor design has been the cause of close to non stop traffic on the cantilever since its opening. Therefore, there was a plan by the city to add tunnels under the cantilever to run cars and redesign the structure of the cantilever to reduce traffic flow. The rusted and broken down state of it has also called for repairs. 

Brooklyn Bridge Park has been an excellent attribute to the Brooklyn waterfront after the BQE has reduced the possibility of getting rid of the industrial warehouses. Brooklyn Bridge Park and the recreational piers have reduced pollution into the East River and therefore has increased aquatic life in the river.

Proceed to the following coordinates to answer the question, and solve step 3/5 of the puzzle -

N40.70272° W073.99685° - {Closest Train: Clark St - 2/3 & High St - A/C}

QUESTION

You should arrive at a sign on the railing by the water, labeled “History in the Park”. Read the entire sign. Who “depended on the unending flow of boats, goods, and people?

1. Brooklyn
2. Industrial waterfront
3. Manhattan

Please make your way to the next waypoint, Sunset Park/Gowanus Viaduct.

• Coordinates at the bottom of this waypoint’s description

Sunset Park/Gowanus Viaduct

Sunset Park and Red Hook are two working class and diverse neighborhoods that were both heavily impacted by the BQE. Second Avenue has always been an industrial avenue in Sunset Park, and would have made the most sense to place the BQE on top of since it would have very little effect on the neighborhood. The waterfront was already industrialized and the avenue was only crucial to industrial manufacturing which the BQE would not interrupt. Meanwhile, Third Avenue was a very commercial and important avenue to residents of Sunset Park. The neighborhood begged and fought Robert Moses to put the BQE on second avenue so as to not disrupt their commercial sector. Despite the fight from the neighborhood, RM claimed it was cheaper to put the BQE on third avenue to repurpose the elevated tracks. Regardless, the structure was completely rebuilt. This is an example of how much RM didn’t care about the communities and instead prioritized cost. The avenue was turned mostly industrial. However, Industry City in Sunset Park has turned some industrial warehouses and factories into recreational spaces.

Proceed to the following coordinates to answer the question, and solve step 4/5 of the puzzle -

N40.66628° W073.99542° - {Closest Train: Prospect Av - R}

QUESTION

You should arrive at a spot under the BQE, or in other words, no man's land. If you look up, you should spot a strange-looking lamppost. 

INFO: The lamppost, originally constructed in the early 20th century, was just another lamppost along with the rest of its generation. The city began taking them down and replacing them decades ago, however this one was never taken down. It is unclear whether the city forgot about this one, found it recently and decided to keep it as a landmark, or if they still don’t know it’s there. 

You should see a square sign with a red circle and diagonal line through it, with a figure or object depicted on the sign. Across the street (cross 3rd av, stay on 17th st), there is another similar identical sign. What are the two figures on each sign?

1. A truck and a person
2. Both signs depict a person
3. A car and a person

Please make your way to the next waypoint, Bay Ridge Trench.

• Coordinates at the bottom of this waypoint’s description

Bay Ridge Trench

Welcome to the end of the BQE; you’ve made it to the last exit before the Verrazano Bridge to Staten Island. Please take this time to add up your answers.

• {Closest Train: Bay Ridge-95 St - R}

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If you got 5, proceed to the following coordinates: N40.61530° W074.02795°

If you got 6, proceed to the following coordinates: N40.61250° W074.02653°

If you got 7, proceed to the following coordinates: N40.61488° W074.02648°

If you got 8, proceed to the following coordinates: N40.61781° W074.02539°

If you got 10, proceed to the following coordinates: N40.61381° W074.02711°

If you got 12, proceed to the following coordinates: N40.61236° W074.02869°

If you got 15, proceed to the following coordinates: N40.61444° W074.03103°

Happy caching!

Make sure to check out my other New York City Subway multicache series.

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