Rockaway Freeway

Driving along the Rockaway Freeway feels like traversing a concrete canyon. The IND Rockaway Line, elevated above, casts a constant shadow. This unusual urban freeway was born from the remnants of the Long Island Rail Road’s Rockaway Division. Between 1941 and 1942, the city undertook a massive project to eliminate grade crossings. The Rockaway Line was hoisted onto a concrete trestle, and the space below became the Rockaway Freeway. This wasn’t a freeway in the traditional sense, like those in Southern California. It simply meant a road largely “free” of intersecting streets, allowing for uninterrupted driving. The numerous concrete pillars holding up the subway line, however, have proven hazardous. Tragically, at least one driver lost their life colliding with one of these supports. The Rockaway Freeway isn’t a continuous stretch. It begins and ends at Beach Channel Drive, with a few miles in between. A section between Beach 67th and Beach 73rd Streets met its end in 2009. It was permanently closed to make room for a retail and transit plaza as part of the Arverne-by-the-Sea development. This unique road, shadowed by the elevated subway, offers a distinct driving experience. It serves as a reminder of the Rockaway Peninsula’s evolution and the interplay between its transportation systems.