The New York City Regional Economic Development Council awarded $443,750 to the Trust for Public Land for design work on the first phase of conversion of an abandoned rail line in Queens to parkland.
The money is part of $709 million in grants issued through Gov. Andrew Cuomo's Regional Economic Development Council initiative.
Parkland advocates want to construct a park, similar to the High Line in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood, along a 3.5-mile, 47-acre stretch of city-owned land along the old Rockaway Beach Rail line, which snakes through sections of Forest Hills, Rego Park, Woodhaven, Richmond Hill and Ozone Park.
QueensWay would become the latest in a trend of rail line conversion that includes a proposed Rail Park in Philadelphia and the 606 project in Chicago.
The decision disappointed state Assemblyman Phillip Goldfeder, D-Queens, who wants to revive the rail service to provide north-south rail travel for the borough. and mass transit advocate.
"Our tax dollars are being wasted on overpriced out-of-borough consultants that shove their one-sided studies and expensive designs down our throats," said Goldfeder.
