High Line Project Gets $500,000 in House/Senate Conference

Washington, DC -- Congress has included $500,000 in the Transportation Appropriations Bill for Fiscal Year 2004 for the High Line Project, thanks to a successful funding request by Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) and Senators Charles Schumer and Hillary Rodham Clinton. The funding was included in the Transportation Conference Report, which is expected to be approved by both the House of Representatives and Senate in the near future.

The federal funding is an important step in preserving the High Line, a disused freight rail, and converting it into a pedestrian walkway that will be 1.45 miles in length, crossing 25 streets and linking three Manhattan neighborhoods, with 6.7 acres of open space atop its elevated rail deck. In addition to providing a walkway and green space in a neighborhood that is currently lacking open space, the High Line project will allow for additional transportation uses in the future.

"The High Line presents the City and State of New York an opportunity to create a world-renowned urban amenity that will serve the community and attract a wide variety of visitors. By preserving this one-of-a-kind monument to New York's railroad heritage, the city can keep its transportation options open in a rapidly changing neighborhood," said Nadler.

"Anyone who lives or works in Midtown West, Chelsea, or the Meat Packing district knows that the one thing the area lacks is enough open space. This money will go a long way toward converting the High Line into a world class park, and the project would never see the light of day if not for Jerry Nadler's tireless work," Senator Chuck Schumer said.

"The High Line project represents the extraordinary things that can be accomplished when a community organizes and decides it wants to move an idea forward. Funding for this project will help create a unique and scenic landmark on Manhattan's West Side that will be treasured for generations," Senator Clinton said.

More than 70 years ago, the High Line began to serve western Manhattan as a mode of rail freight transportation, bringing food and merchandise into the area. In recent years the High Line has sat dormant, but remains an opportunity for transit and recreation. The $500,000 appropriated by Congress will be used for planning and design of the High Line Project.