Yonkers Greenway project closer to a reality after securing over $3M
The city has received $3.5 million in federal funding as part of its project to transform what was once a railway.
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Excitement is in the air in Yonkers with a new greenway closer to happening.
The city has received $3.5 million in federal funding as part of its project to transform what was once a railway.
The greenway is a planned three-mile linear park from southwestern Yonkers to the waterfront with tree plantings and bike lanes.
It just got the multimillion-dollar boost in an announcement from Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Rep. Jamaal Bowman.
The goal is to reverse the effects of redlining around World War I that saw some predominantly minority neighborhoods cut off from funding and other services, leaving impacts on business, education, public safety, recreation and more.
Angel Ravelo is among those excited about the prospect of the greenway, especially because his neighborhood suffers from the heat island effect, making it sometimes 10-20 degrees hotter than other parts of the city.
“Because there's no green, there's no greenery. There's no tree canopy to create shade,” says Ravelo.
City Communications Director Christina Gilmartin says the greenway is a way that could help fix that.
"It's taking an old disconnected neighborhood and bringing it back to life,” she says.
Gilmartin says the project is estimated to cost $14 million, and already has about half the funding it needs in combination with simultaneous projects. She says it should be done by 2026.
The greenway isn’t a reality just yet, but it’s a step closer.
"If we had something like that, shaded, I could see more people spending time outside,” says Ravelo.
