$4 Million Secured For Greenway Project Along Green-Wood Cemetery in Boro Park

YSR.

A proposal aimed at transforming a neglected stretch along Green-Wood Cemetery near Boro Park has received $4 million in New York City Council funding, allowing planning and community discussions for the project to move forward.

The proposed “Green-Wood Green-Way” would run for approximately 1.5 miles along the cemetery’s southern edge, covering portions of Fort Hamilton Parkway and 36th and 37th streets. The corridor sits near the northern edge of the greater Boro Park area, connecting sections of Kensington and Sunset Park alongside the cemetery.

Plans call for wider sidewalks, a protected two-way bicycle lane and improvements aimed at making the route safer and more welcoming for pedestrians and cyclists. Additional features under consideration include new lighting, seating, planters, landscaping and public artwork.

The streets currently bordering that section of Green-Wood include long stretches with limited or damaged sidewalks and few safe options for cyclists. Cemetery officials and community advocates have also raised concerns about illegal dumping and trucks and recreational vehicles parked along portions of the roadway.

The funding, secured through the City Council’s Brooklyn delegation, will be used for design work and outreach with residents and local organizations. Green-Wood officials said the early proposal was developed with input from Community Board 7 and several neighborhood, transportation and community groups, but additional discussions will be held before a final design is selected. 

The larger proposal also includes a new entrance into Green-Wood at Ninth Avenue and 37th Street. The cemetery currently has no public entrance along much of its southern side, requiring residents in nearby neighborhoods to travel around the property to entrances on Fifth Avenue, Fort Hamilton Parkway or other locations. 

The planned Ninth Avenue entrance would be located near the cemetery’s historic Freedom Lots, a burial area connected with Brooklyn’s early Black communities. Green-Wood officials said the entrance would provide surrounding residents with more direct access to the cemetery’s 478 acres, which are also used by visitors as a large public green space. 

The city’s Department of Transportation remains in the early stages of considering the proposal, and officials have not yet announced a construction schedule. The full greenway is estimated to cost approximately $15 million, separate from the planned new cemetery entrance, meaning additional city funding would still be needed before construction could begin.

Green-Wood President Meera Joshi said the project would replace a long-neglected transportation corridor with a safer connection and neighborhood destination. City Council members supporting the funding said the eventual design should address illegal dumping, unsafe traffic conditions and the lack of protected space for pedestrians and cyclists along the cemetery’s perimeter.