FAQ

What is the QueensWay—and who owns the land?

The QueensWay runs along the former Rockaway Beach Branch of the Long Island Railroad (LIRR). The last train ran on this line in 1962, after which ownership of the corridor was transferred from the LIRR to the City of NY. The rail “right of way” was legally abandoned without a remaining rail easement or overlay of any kind.

The 3.5 mile long, 47-acre QueensWay site is entirely owned by the City of New York—40 acres of which are managed by the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) and seven acres (passing through Forest Park) are under the jurisdiction of NYC Parks. Portions of the DCAS property are leased for various community uses, including sections of the parking lot for the Forest View Crescent Apartment Complex, the Ridgewood-Glendale Little League fields, and the Forest Hill Youth Athletic Association fields. It is our steadfast commitment for QueensWay to have little or no impact on these cherished community facilities.

What is the current status of project development?

The QueensWay has steadily advanced from a concept to an active capital project over the past several years. City Hall first committed funding in 2022, allowing NYC Parks to launch formal design work and a series of public workshops in 2023, followed by regular updates to local community boards.

Momentum continued when the City Council added capital dollars in 2025 to fully support Phase 1—otherwise known as the Metropolitan Hub, or MetHub— which will create a new greenway entrance, shaded paths, and community gathering space near Metropolitan Avenue.

Phase 1 is on track for construction to begin in late 2026, marking the first visible step towards transforming the full 3.5‑mile corridor into a connected, accessible linear park for central Queens. The project will be lead by the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC).

Why are you not advocating for rail on this corridor?

Since rail use ended on the corridor, both the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and the Port Authority (PANYNJ) have studied rail reactivation and concluded that it is not feasible due to cost, low ridership projections, environmental concerns, and opposition from directly adjacent communities.

In the lead-up to the MTA’s 20 Year Needs Capital Assessment (2023), the MTA and partners conducted a feasibility study, completed and shared in 2019, that determined the potential cost of rail reactivation could range anywhere between $6.8 billion and $8.1 billion, not including additional cost for real estate acquisitions. In the report, the MTA said the idea “did not score well in most metrics” and described the project as “high cost and [serving] a relatively modest number of riders.” In addition, rail reactivation entails the loss of seven acres of existing park space, which would require special legislation by the State Legislature to alienate parkland and find another seven acres in an area already with scarce outdoor space.

The QueensWay does not preclude rail. If the government chooses to fund and implement a rail line in the future, they will always reserve the right to do so. Discontinuing the current work on the QueensWay would only result in the loss of a chance to do something incredible for our neighborhood now.

Are QueensWay Designers Addressing the Safety and Security Concerns of Adjacent Homeowners?

The QueensWay Plan includes design guidelines regarding safety. About one-third of the 3.5-mile corridor is adjacent to one and two-family homes, and among our guidelines are some specific principles related to these sections (known as the Northern and Southern Passages):

  • All efforts will be made to retain the existing mature trees and the wooded character of the site.
  • Backyards of adjacent homes will be screened and secured.
  • The pathways that run adjacent to homes will have vegetated buffers at the top of the embankment as well as secure fencing at the property line to physically and visually separate backyards and homes from visitors.
  • The fencing will have plantings along it to provide additional screening.
  • In addition, all activity spaces will be located away from adjacent homes and sited near existing non-residential amenities and highly-used public thoroughfares. The two lengths of the QueensWay that run by homes, referred to as the “Passages,” will be used for walking and cycling.
  • Entrances to the QueensWay will be limited to key intersections. Secure fencing will eliminate access at any other points.