The dream of reconstructing a portion of the once-grand Humboldt Parkway, with its bridle path and rows of picturesque trees, was seen as the longest of long shots, for good reason.
A project of such magnitude had never occurred on the oft-neglected and mostly Black East Side.
The decision comes amid mounting opposition to the project – and few signs of community support at state and community meetings, as well as among public comments received for the project – a state Department of Transportation-led effort that calls for a tunnel between Dodge and Sidney streets.
Undaunted, residents who would later form the Restore Our Community Coalition, organized in the early 2000s, held community meetings, prodded politicians and developed a plan for Route 33, successfully pushing for feasibility studies by a state agency.
Then, in January 2022, the group known as ROCC saw the skies open when Gov. Kathy Hochul announced $1 billion for the Kensington Expressway project.
On Friday, group members and other supporters listened as Hochul, speaking at a jam-packed gymnasium in the Edward Sanders Community Center, announced another milestone.
“I am proud today to announce that the Kensington Expressway project has been officially given the green light by the…
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