Federal officials pour $117 million into QueensWay project
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The QueensWay project received $177 million in federal grant funding from New York’s two senators this week. Photo via Trust for Public Land
By Ryan Schwach
Federal officials put $117 million into a proposal to bring a park to an abandoned rail line in Central and South Queens dubbed the QueensWay this week.
The massive influx of funding will go towards expanding the QueensWay plan, a park project that intends to build a High Line-like park on an old abandoned elevated train track. When it’s built, the project will include a half-mile park with open spaces, pedestrian and bike lanes and other park amenities and programs.
However, QueensWay still faces some competition from the QueensLink, a proposal led by a group that wants the old right-of-way to be used for a new train line, as well as park space.
Although QueensLink is far further from coming to fruition than the QueensWay, which the Mayor Eric Adams voiced his support for in 2022, the transportation-based project could receive $10 million of its own through the state budget for an Environmental Impact Study into its feasibility.
The QueensWay expansion will include the design and construction of a Forest Park Pass section of the park, which, according to officials, will be 9 acres and extend approximately 1.3 miles to Park Lane South, and will include new greenway bridges, new recreational amenities, and new connections to existing facilities in Forest Park including Victory Field.
In all, the park is expected to run through Rego Park, Forest Hills, Glendale, Forest Park, Woodhaven, Richmond Hill and Ozone Park.
The funding comes via a federal Department of Transportation grant through New York Senators Chuck Schumer and Kristen Gillibrand.
“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,” said Schumer. “The QueensWay will provide much-needed green space and a new transportation corridor within walking distance of hundreds of thousands of residents and countless small businesses in Central Queens from Forest Hills to Ozone Park.”
The money comes via the Neighborhood Access and Equity Grant Program, which was included in the Inflation Reduction Act passed in 2022 and aims to allocate grants for community projects.
“The Inflation Reduction Act paved the way for these incredible investments that will help transform underserved communities in NYC, undo the injustices of the past, and bring economic prosperity to New York City.” said Gillibrand.
The grant was celebrated by the Friends of the QueensWay, a group that has been pushing for the project since before it got its first funding from the mayor in 2022.
“Friends of the QueensWay has been advocating for our communities and activation of this rails to trails project for more than a decade, and we commend federal and city leaders for collaborating on this extraordinary investment to activate quality park space and parks access,” the group said in a statement.
Plans for the QueensWay have already started receiving public input on some initial design drafts.Screenshot via the Parks Department
“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,” they added. “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.”
The Economic Development Corporation, which is spearheading the project’s construction, began the community feedback process in December, and received input from community members on a draft map.
The advanced design draft is expected to be completed by early winter of this year, with preliminary design review by the Public Design Commission coming next summer.
Local officials also applauded the federal lawmakers' grant money for Queens.
“This is a historic day for Central Queens and all those who believe in the immense connective power of park space,” Queens Borough President Donovan Richards said in a statement to the Eagle. “The QueensWay linear park will link communities, boost local businesses, serve as a critical outdoor classroom for area youth and uplift thousands of Central Queens families.”
The funding also received notes of support from Representative Grace Meng and Councilmember Lynn Schulman.
“I am thrilled to see that the QueensWay is progressing and want to express my deep appreciation to Senator Schumer and Senator Gillibrand for the amazing infusion of funds to make the QueensWay a reality for future generations,” said Schulman.
However, not everyone is thrilled about the allocation.
“We think that they're shirking their responsibility to represent the public and their fiduciary responsibility to make the most of city assets,” said Rick Horan, the executive director of the competing QueensLink project.
QueensLink, a project chiefly spearheaded by Southeast Queens residents from neighborhoods like Ozone Park and Rockaway, believe that officials aren’t taking their transportation needs into account when making decisions to fund the QueensWay.
“These are politicians making unilateral decisions for a project that will affect tens of thousands of people on a daily basis, and those people have no voice in the matter,” Horan said.
In recent months, QueensLink received a less than favorable evaluation from the MTA, who said the project “did not score well in most metrics” and described the project as “high cost and [serving] a relatively modest number of riders,” in its 20-year needs assessment.
QueensLink may have a win on the horizon however, with $10 million currently laid out in the state legislature’s one house budget for an Environmental Impact Study.
“It's a necessary step,” Horan said about the EIS. “I think the thing that has been lacking in this whole conversation are facts, not only environmental facts, and getting into the weeds on environmental issues and quality of life issues, but also community engagement which should be part of the process.”
The QueensWay is competing with the transportation based QueensLink project which hopes to use unused elevated train track for a new train line for Southeast Queens. Eagle photo by Ryan Schwach
Officials have argued that the QueensWay project does not preclude transit, an argument Horan and fellow QueensLink advocates have disputed.
Richards has spoken in support of both projects, and his spokesperson said the BP maintains that dual support.
“The borough president has been clear for years in his belief that Central and South Queens need more open space and mass transit options,” spokesperson Chris Barca said. “To that end, he remains a firm supporter of both the QueensWay and the QueensLink. We look forward to seeing the results of an EIS on the QueensLink proposal, and the borough president will continue to fight to expand mass transit access for transportation deserts like South Queens.”
Senator Schumer’s office did not respond to the Eagle’s follow up question related to QueensLink and the EIS.
