Streetsblog advocates for abandoned rail corridor reactivation to improve Rockaway access
When Infrastructure Visions Meet Mayoral Transitions
As Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani prepares to take office on January 1, 2026, transportation advocates are pushing for his administration to support QueensLink, a proposal to reactivate abandoned rail tracks on the Rockaway Beach Branch. The proposal, outlined in an opinion piece from Streetsblog contributor Samuel Santaella, represents one of several competing visions for how to improve transit access to the Rockaways, a peninsula that has long struggled with connectivity challenges. QueensLink would bring subway service and a bike-friendly greenway onto the abandoned segment, creating the first direct train connection from the Rockaways to major transit hubs in Queens and Brooklyn.
The Transportation Challenge: Why Rockaways Matter
The Rockaways, a heavily working-class residential area serving approximately 120,000 residents, currently relies on the Q53 Select Bus Service to connect to train lines in Elmhurst and Jamaica. Bus service, while improved over the past decade through infrastructure upgrades to Woodhaven and Cross Bay Boulevards, remains time-consuming and subject to traffic congestion. Commuters traveling from the Rockaways to the rest of New York City face travel times that exceed an hour for journeys to central employment centers. This isolation affects economic opportunity, healthcare access, and quality of life. The Rockaway Beach Branch, which parallels both Woodhaven and Cross Bay Boulevards, offers a potential solution. The abandoned northern segment, which sits unused between Rego Park and Rockaway Boulevard, once carried commercial traffic. Reactivating this corridor could create a modern transit connection built specifically for rapid passenger movement.
QueensLink: The Vision and the Competition
QueensLink would bring subway service through Forest Park, with the new line merging into the Queens Boulevard line and creating the first direct train connection from the Rockaways to the rest of the transit system. The proposal includes plans for a bike-friendly greenway running parallel to the tracks, addressing multiple mobility needs simultaneously. However, QueensLink faces competition from alternative proposals for the same corridor. Some planners and transit advocates favor different approaches to improving Rockaway access. The diversity of proposals reflects genuine disagreement about optimal solutions and appropriate investment levels.
What Mayoral Support Could Accomplish
Streetsblog contributor Santaella argues that Mamdani’s stated commitment to transit equity and affordability makes him a natural supporter of QueensLink. The mayor-elect campaigned on fare-free buses and improved transit access for working-class New Yorkers. His affordability-focused platform includes expansion of the MTA network. QueensLink aligns with these priorities while addressing historic transit inequities affecting the Rockaways. The proposal would require coordination between Mamdani’s administration, the MTA, and other agencies. It would also require advocacy to secure state and federal funding. Whether the incoming mayor prioritizes this project among competing infrastructure needs remains to be seen. For information on transit equity and urban planning, see the American Public Transportation Association’s resources. To understand MTA planning and capital improvement processes, consult the MTA’s official planning and project information. For perspective on equitable transit design, explore resources from the American Planners Association. For research on greenway and active transportation integration, see Rails to Trails Conservancy documentation. Whether QueensLink becomes reality depends partly on mayoral leadership. Mamdani’s early transportation and infrastructure decisions will signal his commitment to the Rockaways and working-class transit access.
