New York City is opening the next public planning round for four outer-borough greenways, giving residents a chance to shape walking and cycling connections before designs are settled. The Oct. 26 announcement covers the Bronx Waterfront, Historic Brooklyn, Staten Island Waterfront and Southern Queens corridors. DOT, NYC Parks and the city Economic Development Corporation are leading the work. Workshops in the Bronx begin this fall; the other three corridors follow in 2027. The city expects all six plans in its wider expansion effort, including the NYC greenway planning initiative, to be finished by 2028. Source: NYC DOT’s Oct. 26 announcement.
As part of the ongoing NYC greenway planning efforts, the immediate development is a chance to help plan the routes. It does not mean a continuous new path has opened, or that every long-term improvement has construction funding.
The immediate development is a chance to help plan the routes. It does not mean a continuous new path has opened, or that every long-term improvement has construction funding.
Where the four routes would go
These corridors build on an expansion first announced in October 2023. That earlier plan helps explain the geography behind this week’s next step:
- Bronx Waterfront, 15 miles: Randall’s Island Park to SUNY Maritime, linking waterfront neighborhoods and improving access to job centers such as Hunts Point.
- Historic Brooklyn, 12 miles: Coney Island to Highland Park, with connections to Ocean Parkway, Eastern Parkway and Broadway Junction.
- Staten Island Waterfront, 10 miles: the Goethals Bridge to the Verrazzano Bridge, with links to North Shore destinations, the St. George ferry terminal and waterfront projects.
- Southern Queens, seven miles: Spring Creek Park to Brookville Park, connecting with the Jamaica Bay Greenway and improving access toward JFK Airport.
These lengths describe the whole routes to be studied. They are not a count of newly built miles. The wider effort combines new links with improvements to existing routes. Source: the city’s original corridor announcement.
Bronx residents can take part this fall
DOT’s current announcement lists these first-round workshops on existing conditions:
- Wednesday, Nov. 4, 6 to 8 p.m.: in person at the BankNote Building, 1231 Lafayette Ave., Bronx.
- Thursday, Dec. 3, 6 to 8 p.m.: online.
Residents can register for either or both sessions. Check the registration page before attending.
amNewYork independently reported the planning launch on Oct. 26. Its early story lists different workshop times and a different virtual date. The dates above follow DOT’s current release and greenways page. The outlet also traced the effort to the previous administration, an important reminder that this is the next stage of a multi-year project.
A plan and a funded building project are different steps
The city’s greenways page says a $7.25 million federal RAISE grant, awarded in August 2022, supports development of the six corridor plans. That is planning money. It should not be confused with a promise that the full network can be built for that amount.
DOT also explains the labels on its project map: projects in planning generally still need funding to advance, while those in design or construction are funded and moving forward. Different agencies can own and care for each section. Those details matter when a route crosses a park, a street and a waterfront.
For residents, useful questions include which agency will maintain each section, when a missing connection could be fixed, and which pieces need a separate capital budget. Source: NYC DOT’s greenways guide and project maps.
The city has a model, and work already on the ground
The Harlem River Greenway offers one example of how a larger plan can move forward in sections. In December 2025, DOT released its seven-mile action plan while completing a Bailey Avenue redesign. That street project delivered 1.8 lane miles of two-way, parking-protected bike lanes, along with pedestrian and bus boarding islands.
DOT said the plan drew on three rounds of workshops and outreach at more than 30 community events. The record shows that public planning and individual street improvements can happen alongside one another. It does not establish an opening date for the full greenway. Source: DOT’s December 2025 Harlem River announcement.
The separate Queens Waterfront plan began public workshops in 2024. Its goal is a continuous 16-mile route from Gantry Plaza State Park to Fort Totten. It is distinct from the Southern Queens corridor now entering this new round. Keeping those names straight matters for residents deciding which meetings and maps apply to their neighborhood. Source: the Queens Waterfront planning announcement.
Measure progress by usable connections
The city’s 2026 development report records 20 greenway projects completed in 2025 across all five boroughs and 11 greenway systems. Its list includes new segments and repairs or comfort upgrades. The report is a snapshot as of Dec. 31, 2025, not a tally of projects completed this month.
That distinction helps readers judge progress. A repaired path, a safer crossing and a new mile of route each serve a purpose, but they should not be treated as the same measure. Residents can compare the report with current maps to see where a proposed connection fits. Source: Greater Greenways 2026 Development Report.
Outside research also points to who gets to use these spaces. A Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway study, completed in spring 2024 by Brooklyn Greenway Initiative, Regional Plan Association, Numina and DOT, found that surveyed users who disclosed income were more likely to earn above $75,000 than residents of surrounding communities. A quarter declined to give income. That finding concerns one study area, not every greenway or all New Yorkers. Still, it is a reason to ask whether new routes will reach residents who face the greatest barriers to safe travel. Source: RPA’s greenway user study.
Bring a specific location, not just a general concern
DOT’s feedback site invites comments tied to locations. Residents can identify a difficult crossing, a missing connection or a place where access breaks down. Its privacy guidance advises using a nearby intersection instead of an exact home or work address. General service requests belong with 311 rather than the project comment form. Source: DOT’s project feedback instructions.
The next round has a simple test. Will the plans lead to linked routes people can use for daily trips? Will it be clear who pays, who builds them and who keeps them in good shape? The workshops are an early place to put those questions on the record.
