Progress

In March of 2024, the U.S. Department of Transportation awarded New York City Parks and Trust for Public Land $117 million from the Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Program [RCN] for the design and construction of the next phase of the QueensWay, the Forest Park Pass. Directly connecting the Met Hub, the Forest Park Pass will add an additional 0.7 miles and 9 acres of vibrant greenspace for Queens. Increased, car-free access to the natural trails of Forest Park will allow residents of the densely populated borough to immerse themselves in nature or commute through the serene forest to access the shopping centers close to Metropolitan Avenue. Included in the designs for this portion of the QueensWay are community needs like bleachers for the beloved Little League fields that abut the trail and connections to Victory Field.

In 2022, the City of New York announced a $35 million investment for design and construction of the first section of the QueensWay, the Metropolitan Hub (Met Hub). This funding will transform 0.3 miles of the abandoned corridor into a five-acre greenway with new open space, improved access to recreational amenities, outdoor education opportunities, and a safe connection to schools, businesses, and 10 bus lines. The New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) will manage the construction of the Met Hub in collaboration with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation (NYC Parks). The funding includes $2.5 million from the New York City Council.

In 2014, the QueensWay Plan was issued, funded by a $478,000 grant from NY State Parks and the Governor’s Regional Economic Development Council. Those two entities also provided a $444,000 grant (supplemented by a $250,000 grant from State Assemblymember Andrew Hevesi) to design a first half-mile section of the QueensWay—the Metropolitan Hub. That design process began in mid-2016 and was completed by mid-2018.