Along the water at Gantry Plaza State Park, transportation advocate Corey Hannigan sees hope for what's to come.

"Western Queens really does not have a lot of open space, green space, and so, people flock here," he said. "This is kind of the vision for what is being proposed throughout all of Queens."

What is the proposed Queens Waterfront Greenway

Hannigan is a member of the Tri-State Transportation Campaign, an organization advocating for the Queens Waterfront Greenway, a Department of Transportation proposal now in its planning phase. The federally funded linear park would boast 16 miles of continuous pedestrian and bicycle paths from Long Island City to Whitestone. 

"This is about infrastructure with dignity, giving everyone access to the open space they deserve," he said. "Brooklyn has a connected waterfront greenway. Manhattan has a connected waterfront greenway. Why doesn't Queens deserve the same?"

Opponents say it's not realistic

Not everyone is on board with the DOT's vision.

Calling it part of an anti-car agenda, Northeast Queens council member Vickie Paladino is a leading voice of opposition to the greenway proposal.

"That is unrealistic because there is no clear path on a waterway in this district to do that. It's just impossible," she said.

The DOT released the following statement to CBS New York:

"This greenway plan will better connect residents throughout Queens to the beautiful parks in their neighborhoods through new pedestrian spaces and bike paths, creating welcoming areas for families in need of safer streets to walk with their children and grandchildren, as well as cyclists. DOT is excited about the wide variety of feedback we received during our first round of workshops hosted by DOT staff, and attended by more than 300 Queens residents, and look forward to future meetings as the planning and community engagement process continues."

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