Council Member Barry Grodenchik recently announced that he secured $1,250,000 for the rehabilitation of the Vanderbilt Motor Parkway.

Since trails like this don’t have car/truck traffic, they need far less upkeep than other roads.  However, the last time the Motor Parkway was substantially repaved was at least two decades ago.   The heavily used trail is due for repavement, with tree roots making it uneven and unsafe for those with limited mobility.  Council Member Grodenchik’s strategic funding here will encourage human-powered transportation, which is an investment in the health of our neighbors and the environment. Thousands of walkers, joggers, and cyclists use this route for relaxation, exercise, and commuting.  It’s truly one of the highlights of Eastern Queens.

This Motor Parkway cleanup will complement the new infrastructure wins on Oceania and along Alley Pond Park to Northern Boulevard (both of which the DoT plans to install this year). If the Kissena Way project and the Motor Parkway extension are successful, our neighbors will have a protected, continuous route from Long Island to Flushing Meadows / Corona Park.

While announcing the project, Council Member Grodenchik said,

I am pleased to have secured funding for repaving of this historic urban promenade. The Vanderbilt Motor Parkway is a Queens gem that must be preserved. I wish to thank Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and the City Council’s Queens delegation for their strong support, which made this allocation possible

We applaud Council Member Grodenchik for publicly fighting for better pedestrian and bike infrastructure in our neighborhood. He is a longtime friend of the Greenway, and we encourage him to keep up the amazing work.