Statement from Trust for Public Land on the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Announcement of $117 Million Funding For the Next Phase of the QueenWay Project 

New York, NY – A statement from Diane Regas, President of Trust for Public Land [TPL] on the announcement of $117 million in Federal funds from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s [U.S. DOT] Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Program [RCN] for the next phase of the QueensWay project, the critical Forest Park Pass section. Currently, work is underway with first phase of the QueensWay, known as the Metropolitan Hub site. 

“For more than a decade, Trust for Public Land has been a steadfast collaborator with community partners, advocating for the transformative repurposing of the rail line and recognizing its potential for positive change across Queens. With the recent announcement of $117 million in funding from the U.S. DOT, specifically allocated to the Forest Park Pass section of the QueensWay, a new chapter in our mission unfolds. In strategically linking these diverse neighborhoods via Forest Park Pass, TPL reaffirms its commitment to better connecting culturally rich and historically underserved communities with the outdoors. This funding acts as a powerful catalyst, propelling us towards the realization of a vibrant linear park, QueensWay, that spans communities across Queens. TPL is grateful to be part of this extraordinary journey towards a more vibrant, connected, and equitable future for more New Yorkers.” 

In a neighborhood where over 244,000 people reside in high-density areas lacking sufficient parkland, the QueensWay project will emerge as a green space oasis. The initiative repurposes a 3.5-mile abandoned railway corridor into a 47-acre park and pedestrian and bicycle pathway, linking communities such as Rego Park, Forest Hills, Richmond Hill, Glendale, Woodhaven, and Ozone Park to Forest Park. These neighborhoods, separated by dangerous highways, will now enjoy much-needed public green space, recreation areas, and safe alternative commuting options, fostering a sense of community, and celebrating the cultural diversity of Queens.

The QueensWay project stands as a testament to TPL’s broader mission, addressing historical injustices, mitigating the lasting impacts of 20th-century redlining, and tackling environmental challenges and disinvestment through the power of parks. Over the past 50 years, TPL has amassed the country’s second-most prolific portfolio of rail trail projects. TPL’s rails to trails portfolio is growing and we are helping communities repurpose rail lines from New York City, Atlanta, Chicago to the Yellowstone Valley and Santa Fe, NM.   

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About Trust for Public Land 
Trust for Public Land (TPL) is a national nonprofit that works to connect everyone to the benefits and joys of the outdoors. As a leader in equitable access to the outdoors, TPL works with communities to create parks and protect public land where they are needed most. Since 1972, TPL has protected more than 4 million acres of public land, created more than 5,364 parks, trails, schoolyards, and iconic outdoor places, raised $93 billion in public funding for parks and public lands, and connected nearly 9.4 million people to the outdoors. To learn more, visit tpl.org.