Resolution Criteria

Resolves to the year range in which passenger trains operate again on the former Rockaway Beach Branch. For example, 2028-2031 means Jan 1, 2028 through Dec. 31, 2031, inclusive.

Background

The Rockaway Beach Branch, a former Long Island Rail Road line, shut down around 1962 and has remained dormant and in disrepair. QueensLink, rebranded from QueensRail in 2015, proposes a dual-purpose project combining an elevated rail line with a park and bike path below. The project would create Queens' first north-south subway connection by extending the M train from Rego Park to the Rockaways, while including 33 acres of park space. In September 2022, Mayor Eric Adams announced the competing QueensWay park project with $30 million allocated for the first phase, creating uncertainty about the rail component's viability.

Considerations

The QueensWay announcement was controversial because the plans did not include space for a future rail line. The federal government promised $117 million for QueensWay in early 2024, but revoked $111.4 million in 2025, creating flux in project funding. QueensLink's next step is a Draft Environmental Impact Statement, a legally-mandated analysis, which must be completed before construction can begin. The MTA has not officially supported reactivating the line and previously estimated costs at over $8 billion, though independent analysis found costs between $3.4-$3.7 billion.