September 19-20, 2024

The 2024 NYC Greenways Summit convened public agency leaders, elected officials, advocates, planners, and community organizations for two days of discussion focused on expanding and strengthening New York City’s greenway network. The event set the stage for a collaborative agenda centered on greenways as essential transportation, economic development, public health, and climate infrastructure. The full agenda including speakers and topics is below.

Opening remarks were from Andrew Kimball, President and CEO of the New York City Economic Development Corporation (recording). Agency Commissioners Sue Donoghue (NYC Parks) (recording) and Ydanis Rodriguez (NYC Department of Transportation) (recording) were also featured speakers. 

Additional highlights included: 

• A comprehensive “State of the NYC Greenways” presentation from NYC DOT, NYC Parks, and NYCEDC (recording) 

• Remarks on coalition building with Assemblymember Emily Gallagher, Dennis Markatos-Soriano of the East Coast Greenway Alliance, and moderator EdMundo Martinez, community activist. (recording)

• Discussion of Greenways and Environmental Justice with leaders from WE ACT for Environmental Justice, South Bronx Unite, and Staten Island Urban Center. The speakers explored equitable access, environmental health, and community-led planning. (recording)

• The day concluded with remarks from Councilmember Shekar Krishnan.

The second day shifted from vision to implementation with the following topics and activities: 

• A presentation of the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway User Study by the Regional Plan Association, Brooklyn Greenway Initiative, Numina, and NYC DOT. The session examined how data on user behavior can inform future investments and improve safety and accessibility. (recording) 

• “Getting Greenways Built,” focused on partnerships, funding strategies, engineering, and political coordination (recording) 

• The day concluded with an afternoon field tour of the proposed Staten Island Waterfront Greenway on the North Shore.

Both days underscored that completing New York City’s greenway network will require sustained collaboration across government, advocacy organizations, community groups, and private partners.