Spanning the length of 8 city blocks, Dutch Kills Green transformed the space at the end of the Queensboro Bridge where three subway lines, two elevated routes, and congested streets surrounded a parking lot, leaving a harsh and disorienting pedestrian realm. Officially called Queens Plaza Bicycle and Pedestrian Landscape Improvement Project, Dutch Kills Green is now a park nestled within an improved traffic network, which makes room for people, plants, and water among the layers of train structures, streets, vents and utilities. Through a major road realignment, the design disentangled circulation, introduced bikeways in green corridors, and improved pedestrian conditions. The green infuses the former leftover spaces with layers of vegetation that frame seating areas, clean the air and stormwater, and mitigate ambient noise. Once a no man’s land, the green is now an asset for the surrounding community and is contributing to a resurgence in real estate value.
