‘QueensWay’: Deserted LIRR tracks to be turned into The High Line of Queens
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QUEENS, N.Y. (PIX11) – Manhattan has The High Line and now, thanks to a $117 million grant, the equivalent is on its way to Queens, Mayor Eric Adams announced on Wednesday.
A 3.5-mile stretch of abandoned Long Island Rail Road tracks will be transformed into a green space connecting six Queens neighborhoods called “QueensWay.”
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The Adams administration also secured an additional $5.6 million in federal grant money to reimagine the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway corridor.
“The next phase of the QueensWay will add more greenway miles, vibrant parks, and outdoor amenities to neighborhoods across Queens,” Adams said. “My thanks to President Biden and Secretary Buttigieg for establishing this transformational grant program and investing $123 million in federal grants to support our city’s growing infrastructure needs.”
In 2022, the Adams administration announced an initial $35 million investment for Phase One of the QueensWay project.
The Trust for Public Land and Friends of the QueensWay conceived the proposal. Now, the next phase for QueensWay will transform the train tracks into 47 acres of new park space and several miles of greenway.
QueensWay will connect the Queens neighborhoods of Rego Park, Forest Hills, Glendale, Forest Park, Woodhaven, Richmond Hill, and Ozone Park.
“For many of the 2.3 million people who live in Queens, access to public parks and open space is limited, and in many cases, difficult and dangerous to access by bike or on foot. By reclaiming and redeveloping the abandoned rail, the QueensWay will provide public access to green space, while acting as a main artery of the borough, connecting six distinct neighborhoods and Forest Park,” said a spokesperson for Friends of the Queensway.
The project is the result of extensive community outreach that included public and stakeholder workshops, and more than 20 public tours, officials said.
Matthew Euzarraga is a multimedia journalist from El Paso, Texas. He has covered local news and LGBTQIA topics in the New York City Metro area since 2021. He joined the PIX11 Digital team in 2023. You can see more of his work here.
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