Queens College Study: Borough Mixed Over Rail Corridor Use

Opinion over how to use an abandoned 3-1/2 mile rail corridor in New York City's Queens borough is as diverse as the neighborhoods within its reach, according to a Queens College study released Monday.

Asked to rank the various redevelopment options based on what they knew or had heard, nearly 34% of all survey respondents said reactivation of the right of way for transportation was their first choice, while 28% favored the QueensWay parkland project — loosely a Queens version of Manhattan's High Line. In addition, 18% favored some combination and another 10% preferred the abandoned line remain intact.

"The Rockaway Beach Branch line presents a unique opportunity as a potential transportation improvement," said the report. "As an existing right-of-way that had historically supported passenger rail service, it is naturally a target for future passenger service in response to changing population needs."

The college's Office of Community Studies, within the Urban Studies Department, conducted the study at the request of state Assemblyman and transit advocate Phillip Goldfeder, D-Queens.

Decisions over use of the 47 acres of north-south city-owned land from Forest Hills to Ozone Park will affect future infrastructure needs and funding.

"The results of this study clearly show that reactivating the Rockaway Beach Rail Line is the best, most cost-effective way to decrease commute times, improve access to existing parkland and grow our small businesses in Queens," Goldfeder said after a Monday press conference.

The Rockaway Beach Line, also known as the White Pot Junction Line, originated in the late 19th century under the control of the Long Island Rail Road. In the early 1960s, parts of the railroad service were condensed, sectioned off and eventually closed. In the following years, communities surrounding the line have seen dramatic increases in population, with the Rockaway Peninsula population nearly doubling.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which operates New York City's subway system and the LIRR, has "voiced little interest in making reactivation a priority," the report said, although rail advocates in July got support from state Comptroller and Thomas DiNapoli.

DiNapoli, a native of Long Island's Nassau County, called rail restoration a less costly way to improve community time between southern Queens and Manhattan and improve economic growth.

Park enthusiasts advocate the QueensWay, with the Trust for Public Land and the local group Friends of the QueensWay championing the project.