Completing the connection between the Eastern Queens Greenway’s western end and Flushing Meadows Park has remained the EQGW’s most ambitious yet elusive goals. For over a decade, we’ve held this as our top priority, urging our partners to prioritize this hazardous section first. With other sections being funded and designed for construction, now is time to shift our attention to this major gap. In an ironic twist of fate, the most pressing task has proven to be the most formidable.

Originally, the greenway path meandered through the serene expanse of the Queens Botanical Garden. However, the Garden now boasts an admission fee, necessitating a detour. Cyclists and pedestrians now find themselves with two options: a northern route via Dahlia Avenue, Crommelin Street, and Blossom Avenue, or a southern detour along Peck Avenue, Elder Avenue, 133rd Street, and Booth Memorial Avenue. While the northern route offers more space, the southern path elegantly aligns with both Flushing Meadows Park and Kissena Corridor Park, negating the need to veer around the Gardens on Main Street.

The Greenway bridge over College Point Boulevard was initially heralded as a vital link, guiding travelers straight to the Garden’s path, now sealed behind a gate. In our interactive greenway storymap, we’ve identified this problem as the number 1 danger to greenway users.

Around decade ago, dual staircases were added at the bridge’s termini, a redundant architectural choice that—had a ramp been constructed instead—would have vastly improved access. This poorly-conceived infrastructure has rendered the bridge desolate, compelling all foot traffic to brave the six-lane expanse of College Point Boulevard. The Parks Department’s current plan ignores this pedestrian bridge, diverting greenway users onto a bustling truck route, mere feet from the Van Wyck Expressway’s onramp—an artery of frenetic activity.

For years, we have petitioned the Department of Parks to replace one of the staircases with a ramp leading to the Botanical Garden’s entrance, yet progress has been elusive. Recently, whispers suggest that an entirely new, ADA-compliant bridge might be a simpler solution.

An earlier Master Plan from the Queens Botanical Garden envisioned a bridge soaring gracefully over the gardens, offering all greenway users a tantalizing glimpse of the botanical splendor below. This bridge would have concluded at Elder Avenue, a far wiser choice than diverting traffic to Booth Memorial Avenue, infamous for its steep grade and perilous drivers.

Alternative propositions include a bridge curving around the Botanical Garden, reclaiming a lane of traffic from Booth Memorial Avenue—a design that, while substantially extending the bridge’s length, would distribute elevation changes more harmoniously. Yet, challenges persist, such as what to do with the space beneath the new bridge, since under the current bridge illicit dumping is common.

The Eastern Queens Greenway remains agnostic about the precise route of the bridge. Our paramount goal is to create a safe, accessible path for children and all users. Regrettably, the Parks Department’s current plan falls short of this objective, necessitating an alternative approach to ensure the greenway’s utility and safety in this critical area.