Citywide Greenways

Aerial view of the East Midtown Greenway with a winding pedestrian bridge over the East River. People relax on benches surrounded by greenery. Adjacent is a city street with traffic, and tall buildings. A distant bridge is visible in the background.

Greenways are continuous, multi-use corridors designed for human-powered and electric-assist transportation and recreation. Defined and named through community-driven planning, greenways often follow natural or man-made linear spaces such as railways, highways, rivers, waterfronts, and parkland.

Milestone

$7.25M

Federal RAISE grant awarded to NYC for greenways planning

NYCEDC currently leads long-term greenway expansion planning and 13 greenway capital projects, totaling approximately 7.5 miles and representing over $1.5B of investment from the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway to the Staten Island Waterfront Greenway on the North Shore and the Queensway in Central Queens.

Long-term Citywide Greenways Expansion Planning

The Long-term Citywide Greenway Expansion Planning initiative focuses on expanding the greenway in underinvested neighborhoods outside of Manhattan and developing best practices for the planning, design, and implementation of future greenways. This expansion will be informed by community engagement and technical analysis, with the goals of the expanded network to:

  • Increase equity in the city’s greenway network
  • Enhance connections to parks and public open spaces
  • Increase economic development opportunities
  • Encourage increased bike and micromobility use
  • Boost New York City’s public health and resilience
  • Create new destinations

Engagement Updates

NYCEDC will be kicking off public engagement in Summer 2025 to understand community priorities around future citywide greenway planning.

Other Greenways Projects and Initiatives

NYCEDC and the City are working to expand the greenway network across New York City.

A person rides a bicycle along a tree-lined path with colorful flowers, lampposts, and skyscrapers in the background, under a blue sky with wispy clouds.

Manhattan Waterfront Greenway: When complete, the 32.5-mile greenway will create a connective network of green spaces that loops around the entire island of Manhattan.

citywide-greenways-highbridge-picture-1.jpg

Early Action Implementation Plans: NYC DOT and NYC Parks are leading the development of five early action implementation plans to expand the greenway network outside Manhattan, which will collectively add 60 miles of greenways.

People walk, cycle, and relax along a busy waterfront path lined with trees and benches. A ferry and sailboat are visible on the water, and the city skyline can be seen in the distance under a blue sky.

North Shore Action Plan: The Action Plan delivers on a vibrant, mixed-use community for Staten Island—the centerpiece being the long-promised, two-mile waterfront esplanade from Stapleton to Tompkinsville to St. George.

Early Action Implementation Plans

  • Queens Waterfront from Gantry Plaza State Park to Little Bay Park
  • Historic Brooklyn from Coney Island to Highland Park
  • Staten Island Waterfront from Goethals Bridge to Verrazzano Bridge
  • Bronx Waterfront from Randall’s Island Park to SUNY Maritime
  • Southern Queens from Spring Creek Park to Brookville Park

Project Partners

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