Get your ‘Motor’ running in Northeast Queens
Lawmakers, activists, residents celebrate historic parkway trail extension for bicyclists and hikers
BY JENNA BAGCAL
The State Legislature
recently passed a long-awaited
bill commissioning a study
to extend the Long Island
Motor Parkway Trail in
northeast Queens.
On June 28, lawmakers,
bike advocates and local
residents celebrated the Motor
Parkway Connection bill’s
passage, which was carried by
Assemblyman David Weprin
in the Assembly and by state
Senator John Liu in the Senate
this past legislative session.
The New York State
Department of Transportation
(NYSDOT) will complete a
feasibility study and report
for the proposed expansion,
which would extend the
parkway east from Winchester
Boulevard to Little Neck
Parkway. The car-free path,
which is used by bicyclists
and parkgoers, currently
runs from 210th Street to
Winchester Boulevard.
“The Long Island Motor
Parkway is Queens county’s
hidden gem. A car-free
verdant landmarked path that
travels through the Queens
neighborhoods of Fresh
Meadows and Hollis Hills. It’s
part of the Brooklyn Queens
Greenway which is a system
of trails that stretches from
Coney Island to Bayside,”
said Joby Jacob, co-founder
of Motor Parkway East. “For
the past five years, we’ve
advocated to link these two
trails and are very happy to
see the bill passed. We also
hope that filling this critical
gap will allow the Brooklyn
Queens Greenway to serve as a
link to the Empire State Trail,
which runs from Manhattan
to Canada, as it will be able to
finally include Long Island.”
In 1908, William Kissam
Vanderbilt II built the
Vanderbilt Motor Parkway
as the first roadway designed
solely for automobile
use. Originally built as a
racecourse, the roadway was
eventually transformed into a
major thoroughfare.
Today, NYC Parks
Assemblymembers Ed Braunstein, Nily Rozic and David Weprin,
Senator John Liu and bike advocates Photo courtesy of Liu’s offi ce
maintains part of the parkway
as part of the NYC Greenway
program. The stretch, which
runs through Cunningham
Park, is used by cyclists and
those traveling on foot.
“An expanded Motor
Parkway Greenway is poised
to become Eastern Queens’
top-tier recreational amenity
for residents seeking a healthy
walk, run or bike ride through
their community, and it
will provide thousands of
commuters an exceptionally
safe and effective way to bike
to West Queens, Manhattan
or Long Island. After years
of extensive outreach to the
community, over 1,000 New
Yorkers have signed our
petition to expand the Motor
Parkway Greenway, and each
year 150 New Yorkers ride
it during TransAlt’s annual
Tour de Flushing,” said Juan
Restrepo, Queens Organizer,
Transportation Alternatives.
Several local bike
organizations have been
advocating for years to see the
expansion come into fruition,
both to preserve the trail as
part of New York history and
as an “untapped” park space
for people to enjoy.
“After six years of
advocacy, the residents
of northeast Queens who
have fought for this bill can
celebrate a huge victory with
its passage,” said Senator
Liu. “This brings us one
step closer to the cyclists’
Holy Grail of bike paths
connecting Queens, Long
Island and beyond, as the
yet-unincorporated stretch
of the Motor Parkway is the
only thing standing in the
way of connecting Coney
Island to Queens Village to
Old Bethpage. Thank you to
Assemblymember Weprin for
championing the bill in the
Assembly and thank you to
Joby Jacob, Juan Restrepo,
Laura Shepard and many
others for their efforts to see
this through.”
When you’re ready
to feel better,
we’re right around
the corner.
Gastroenterology and Advanced Endoscopy from
Palmadessa & Brodsky
Call us at (718) 461-0163
or visit QueensGastroDoc.com
241-02 Northern Blvd #1, Douglaston, NY 11362
Cutler's Lighting
BEAUTIFUL LAMP SHADES AVAILABLE
Great Selections of LED Fixtures!
LED Your Home and Office! Exciting New Styles!
Thousands of fixtures for every home & decor!
REPAIRS · RE-POLISHING
REWIRING · RE-FINISHING
Expert
Lighting
Consultants
on Site!
WINNER
BEST LIGHTING STORE
WHY BUY ON THE INTERNET?
Our prices are just as good as online, if not BETTER! exclusions apply
SHOP AT CUTLER'S, YOUR LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD STORE
Cutler's Lighting
· www.cutlerslighting.com
any purchase over $500
(With coupon. Not combinable. New orders only. Limit 1 per customer,
Excludes repairs, refinishing , rewiring, re-polishing. Expires 7/31/19) $50 OFF
QNS.COM TIMESLEDGER, JULY 5-11, 2019 5
/www.cutlerslighting.com
/QueensGastroDoc.com
/www.cutlerslighting.com
/QNS.COM
