The Problem: Eastern Queens has one of the best park systems in New York City, but many of our residents can't get to these hidden gems because of the unsafe conditions around them. There are 6.5 miles of Mountain Biking Trails in Cunningham Park; from novice to expert, there's something for mountain bikers of all levels. These trails are set to expand in the near future, drawing even more visitors from throughout the city. The trail head entrance is located at 210th Street and 67th Avenue, approximately 4 blocks north of the Vanderbilt Motor Parkway at 210th Street. Slightly further north on Oceania Street, there are 3 schools and the businesses district on Northern Boulevard.

Currently, there is no family safe path connecting the Motor Parkway to the Mountain Biking Trails, Middle Schools, or the rest of the neighborhood. A year and a half ago a 42-year-old woman and her 8 and 10-year-old daughters were killed along this route. Neighbors and their children deserve a safe space to get to school and to the park.

What we can do: Oceania and 210th Streets are a relatively wide 2-way residential street. The wide lanes and quiet area encourage excessive speeding. To increase the safety of everyone on Oceania street we are asking the DOT to consider installing a bi-directional protected bike path alongside the eastern edge of Cunningham park between the Vanderbilt Motor Parkway and Horace Harding Expressway. This protected bike path will ensure a safe option to travel from the Greenway to the 67th Avenue trail-head and to the schools.

To create a compelling bike network, we would like the protected bike lane to also extend along Oceania Street from Horace Harding to Northern Boulevard. This will make Oceania a "Safe Route to Schools". This would make the Cunningham Mountain Biking Trails and the Vanderbilt Motor Parkway accessible to Bayside residents who live north of the LIE and commuters who take the LIRR to Bayside Station. This has the added benefit of calming the street for pedestrians who walk across Oceania Street every day.