Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Queens greenthumbs lament loss of hundreds of trees for Long Island Expressway expansion
By
Bahar Ostadan
Published Dec 4, 2022
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Carsten Glaeser
By
Bahar Ostadan
Published Dec 4, 2022
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
The state is chopping down more than 250 trees to make way for the expansion of the Long Island Expressway in eastern Queens, much to the dismay of local horticulturalists.
The state Department of Transportation has started clearing the half-century old trees to build a new auxiliary lane, and entrance and exit ramps in Bayside and Oakland Gardens as part of an $83 million effort to reduce traffic congestion.
An agency spokesperson confirmed that approximately 260 trees will be felled and that the work is “well underway.” It will be complete by the end of the month. The spokesperson said more than three times as many trees and 7,620 new shrubs will replace the downed trees. But arborist Carsten Glaeser says that won’t cut it.
“You can’t replace a 60-year-old tree with a new tree,” said Glaeser, a horticulture consultant with a doctorate in philosophy and plant biology. “Large trees deliver 70 times more benefits than small, newly planted trees.”
The department would need to plant 50 new trees for every lost tree to replicate the environmental benefits of their predecessors, Glaeser estimates – a far cry from the department’s plan.
“It takes 20 years before trees can start delivering the level of benefits and services we acquire from them,” Glaeser said. “How and why does [the Department of Transportation] get a pass to remove these large trees from the public sphere and yet the public loses out in the end?”
Urban trees capture carbon, remove air pollutants and cool surrounding areas by providing shade, research shows. They save $7.8 billion annually in residential heating and cooling costs and $3.9 billion in avoided emissions, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
“Removing mature trees that do such an incredible job in terms of cleaning our air and helping mitigate the effects of climate change is irresponsible,” said Evie Hantzopoulos, executive director of the Queens Botanical Garden and member of Queens Community Board 1 in Astoria. “Given the climate crisis, we don’t have 60 years for those trees to reach maturity … It’s horrifying to hear this.”
Diane Park, a spokesperson for the Department of Transportation, said the replacement trees will “closely match” those removed, with varieties like October Glory, Red Maple, Sweet Gum and Willow Oak.
The department “will work closely with our contractor to minimize noise and other environmental impacts to the surrounding communities throughout the construction process,” Park said.
The Long Island Expressway project is part of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s $33 billion infrastructure plan announced in April. Construction crews will also replace the bridge carrying Oceania Street in Bayside over the Expressway and build a noise barrier stretching 6,500 feet to reduce traffic noise for more than 300 homes.
Tagged
queens
transportation
Bahar Ostadan
Bahar Ostadan covers the NYPD and public safety. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or message Bahar on Signal at 646-740-7335.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
NYC looks to grow involvement in Open Streets as applications open for 2027
The Mamdani administration bolstered funding this year and is asking applicants to suggest infrastructure upgrades.
By
Catalina Gonella
Published Oct 14, 2026 at 12:52 p.m. ET
New Yorkers are paying $300 million for natural gas they don't even use
A new study found that nearly 2% of the city's natural gas is leaking into the air and causing climate pollution.
By
Rosemary Misdary
News
New Yorkers are paying $300 million for natural gas they don't even use
A new study found that nearly 2% of the city's natural gas is leaking into the air and causing climate pollution.
By
Rosemary Misdary
Early Addition: Eric Adams did not convince a Wisconsin town to build a data center
By
James Ramsay
Hit-and-run driver arrested trying to flee to Uzbekistan after deadly crash, NYPD says
By
Brittany Kriegstein
NY measles outbreak more widespread than official count, health officials say
By
Caroline Lewis
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .