Rockaway Freeway

{{short description|Avenue in Queens, New York}}

{{Use American English|date=May 2025}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}

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File:Bch_108th_St_Rkwy_Freeway_td_06.jpg

The Rockaway Freeway is a road in the New York City borough of Queens that was created from the old right-of-way of the Long Island Rail Road Rockaway Division in 1941–1942 as part of the project to eliminate grade crossings within New York City. The railroad line itself was elevated over the new automotive route {{Cite web|url=https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/rockaway-freeway/history|title=Rockaway Freeway Highlights : NYC Parks|website=www.nycgovparks.org|access-date=2020-02-12}} and was incorporated into the New York City Subway system as the IND Rockaway Line ({{NYCS trains|Rockaway north}}) in June 1956.See:

• {{cite web|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1956/06/28/84703811.pdf|title=Rockaway Trains to Operate Today|last1=Freeman|first1=Ira Henry|date=June 28, 1956|website=The New York Times|accessdate=June 29, 2015}}<
• {{cite news|title=First Train On Rockaway Line Runs This Afternoon|date=June 28, 1956|work=Wave of Long Island|agency=Fultonhistory.com|pages=[http://fultonhistory.com/highlighter/viewer/?file=http%3A%2F%2Ffultonhistory.com%2FNewspapers%252021%2FRockaway%2520Beach%2520NY%2520%2520Wave%2520Of%2520Long%2520Island%2FRockaway%2520Beach%2520NY%2520%2520Wave%2520Of%2520Long%2520Island%2520%25201956%2FRockaway%2520Beach%2520NY%2520%2520Wave%2520Of%2520Long%2520Island%2520%25201956%2520–%25200350.pdf&highlightsFile=http%3A%2F%2Ffultonhistory.com%2Fhighlighter%2Fhits%2F43c772ea5053ba7a2fe1850240ed52cd#page=1 1], [http://fultonhistory.com/highlighter/viewer/?file=http%3A%2F%2Ffultonhistory.com%2FNewspapers%252021%2FRockaway%2520Beach%2520NY%2520%2520Wave%2520Of%2520Long%2520Island%2FRockaway%2520Beach%2520NY%2520%2520Wave%2520Of%2520Long%2520Island%2520%25201956%2FRockaway%2520Beach%2520NY%2520%2520Wave%2520Of%2520Long%2520Island%2520%25201956%2520–%25200355.pdf&highlightsFile=http%3A%2F%2Ffultonhistory.com%2Fhighlighter%2Fhits%2F6b6ee609a1895c1f89ff0c622e5b3813#page=1 6]}}
• {{cite news|url=http://fultonhistory.com/highlighter/viewer/?file=http%3A%2F%2Ffultonhistory.com%2FNewspapers%252023%2FForest%2520Parkway%2520NY%2520Leader%2520Observer%2FForest%2520Parkway%2520NY%2520Leader%2520Observer%25201955-1957%2FForest%2520Parkway%2520NY%2520Leader%2520Observer%25201955-1957%2520-%25200650.pdf&highlightsFile=http%3A%2F%2Ffultonhistory.com%2Fhighlighter%2Fhits%2F8150b004ade0565d32aa4d88b21d2892#page=1|title=TA's New Line To Rockaways Begins Today: Fifty Piece Band To Play as Special Train Makes First Run|date=June 28, 1956|work=The Leader-Observer|accessdate=August 16, 2016|agency=Fultonhistory.com|page=1}}
• {{cite news|url=http://fultonhistory.com/highlighter/viewer/?file=http%3A%2F%2Ffultonhistory.com%2FNewspapers%252023%2FBrooklyn%2520NY%2520Greenpoint%2520Daily%2520Star%2FBrooklyn%2520NY%2520Greenpoint%2520Daily%2520Star%25201956-1957%2FBrooklyn%2520NY%2520Greenpoint%2520Daily%2520Star%25201956-1957%2520-%25200241.pdf&highlightsFile=http%3A%2F%2Ffultonhistory.com%2Fhighlighter%2Fhits%2F147cd4c4e78bb11637387bbb8e8e3a06#page=1|title=To Rockaways: Beach Trains In Operation|date=June 29, 1956|work=Greenpoint Weekly Star|accessdate=August 16, 2016|agency=Fultonhistory.com|page=2}}

Because of the large number of concrete posts supporting the elevated subway, the Freeway has consistently been hazardous for drivers: at least one driver died from crashing into a pillar.{{cite web| website=The Wave | location=Rockaway Beach, NY | last=Rosenberg | first=Miriam | date=February 6, 2015 | url=https://www.rockawave.com/articles/driver-killed-on-rockaway-freeway/ | access-date=February 12, 2020| title=Driver Killed on Rockaway Freeway | the Wave }} A portion of the road, between Beach 67th Street and Beach 73rd Street, was closed permanently in 2009 to make way for a retail transit plaza in connection with the new Arverne-by-the-Sea construction development.{{cite web|url=https://www.rockawave.com/articles/section-of-rockaway-freeway-closing-next-month-for-abts-construction/|title=Section Of Rockaway Freeway Closing Next Month For ABTS Construction|date=February 20, 2009|last=Briano|first=Nicholas|website=The Wave |location=Rockaway Beach, NY|access-date=February 12, 2020}}