File Photo
Proponents of the QueensRail are devoted to the reactivation of the Rockaway Beach Rail Line.
By Michael V. Cusenza
Elected officials, community groups, and transit advocates on Sunday gathered on the Rockaway Beach Boardwalk at Beach 92nd Street to rally for more transit options in Queens.
Proponents of the QueensRail are devoted to the reactivation of the Rockaway Beach Rail Line either as part of the Long Island Rail Road or, more likely, the City subway system. The defunct spur was put into service in the late 19th Century under the control of the LIRR and connected Rockaway and southern Queens with Rego Park, provided area residents with expedient access to other parts of the city, and 40-minute commutes to Midtown Manhattan from the Rockaway Peninsula. In the early 1960s, parts of the railroad service were condensed, sectioned off, and it eventually closed in 1962.
Photo Courtesy of Councilwoman Ariola
City Councilwoman Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park) said she attended Sunday’s rally “to continue my support for better transportation for District 32 and beyond.”
The rail movement absorbed a crushing blow last month when Mayor Eric Adams announced a $35 million investment for design and construction of the Metropolitan Hub in Queens—phase one of a new multi-phase, long-discussed greenway and park project called QueensWay.
According to Adams, this phase of the project will transform a vacant, city-owned corridor in Forest Hills into a five-acre park with 0.7 miles of greenway, providing residents with new open space, improved access to recreational amenities, outdoor education opportunities for students, and a safe transportation corridor connecting people to schools, businesses, and 10 bus lines. The New York City Economic Development Corporation 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 City Council.
