The project is transforming medians in Whitestone, Forest Hills and Queens Village into landscaped areas planted with grass and wildflowers. Officials said the new spaces are expected to capture roughly 5 million gallons of floodwater annually.
In Whitestone, residents have watched as a concrete median at Francis Lewis Boulevard and 21st Road was removed and replaced with vegetation as part of what city engineers describe as stormwater mitigation efforts.
Nearby medians remain unchanged, consisting primarily of concrete with limited vegetation. During rainstorms, water has fewer opportunities to be absorbed into the ground.
The project comes as New York City faces increasing challenges from severe weather and flooding. Flooding has affected transportation infrastructure, including streets and subways, and has posed significant risks in some neighborhoods. Officials pointed to the flash flooding caused by Hurricane Ida in September 2021, which killed 14 people in New York City.
The new medians in Whitestone, along with similar projects in Forest Hills and Queens Village, are expected to absorb up to 5 million gallons of water each year. The initiative is funded with $8.4 million in city and state funding.
Residents said they have observed flooding concerns grow over time.
"What have you noticed over the years?" Eyewitness News reporter N.J. Burkett asked.
"Just a lot more flooding than there used to be," Ernie Nardi of Whitestone said.
"It seems like all our rainfalls are extremely heavy rainfalls. I think our infrastructure needs a little bit of a redo," said Cusi Nardi, a Queens resident.
Francesca Pitaro, another Queens resident, said she supports the project.
"I think it looks a lot nicer than a pile of cement. I have not had problems with flooding at my house, but I know that there are a lot of problems with flooding in this neighborhood. And so I think anything they can do to mitigate the effects of the climate change and the crazy rain we've been having, I'm all for it," Pitaro said.
Officials said the green median installations are intended to help reduce flooding in vulnerable neighborhoods while adding landscaped public space to the community.