On Staten Island’s west side, Freshkills Park is taking shape across a vast mosaic of creeks, marsh edges, and engineered hills. When fully built out, the park is planned to cover about 2,200 acres—roughly three times the size of Central Park—making it the largest park project developed by New York City in over a century. The full buildout is a long-term effort projected to extend into the 2030s (often cited as 2036), though timelines for projects of this scale can change.
A place with deep history—and a modern reinvention
Long before it became known for waste disposal, the Fresh Kills area consisted of tidal waterways and low-lying coastal landscapes. Historical and archaeological references document a long Indigenous presence in and around Staten Island’s wetlands and waterways, and the Fresh Kills planning materials discuss Indigenous artifacts and sites in the broader area.
In the 20th century, the site’s identity changed dramatically. Fresh Kills Landfill opened in 1948 and eventually became New York City’s primary disposal site for decades—widely described as the largest landfill in the world during its operating life.
The landfill years—what the “29,000 tons a day” figure really means
One of the most-cited statistics about Fresh Kills is that it received 29,000 tons of waste per day—but it’s important to state this accurately. New York City’s planning documentation specifies that the landfill’s acceptance of garbage peaked at 29,000 tons a day in 1986–87 (not that this amount arrived every day across the entire 1948–2001 period).
Closure: what was announced, and what actually happened
Official planning records also give precise closure dates:
- In May 1996, Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Governor George Pataki announced the landfill would close to further receipt of solid waste by December 31, 2001.
- The final shipment of household garbage occurred on March 22, 2001.
After September 11, 2001, Fresh Kills played a major role in the recovery operation. The NYC Department of Sanitation’s remembrance project describes how the site became part of the World Trade Center recovery process, and peer-reviewed literature documents that debris was transported to Fresh Kills for sorting and sifting during the recovery period.
From landfill to park: the engineering that makes reuse possible
The “rolling hills” visitors see today are engineered landfill mounds and capped areas. Planning documents explain the site as a complex system—managed and stabilized through engineered controls (including gas and leachate management) that continue for decades after closure.
This is why Freshkills is being opened in phases: portions can become publicly accessible only after they meet safety, stability, and infrastructure requirements.
What’s open now: North Park Phase 1
The most straightforward way to visit today is North Park Phase 1, which opened in October 2023 as the first large section of Freshkills Park accessible to the public. It covers 21 acres and is open daily 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., with gates at 350 Wild Avenue (plus an additional gate connection via nearby park access noted on park materials).
The City and park partners describe this section as featuring walking/biking paths and bird-viewing infrastructure, reflecting the site’s growing role as habitat and a place for outdoor recreation.
If you’re coming from Manhattan, the Staten Island Ferry runs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and is fare-free. Travel time from the ferry terminal to Freshkills varies depending on traffic and transit connections, so it’s best described as “about” a certain duration rather than a fixed number.
Featured Image Credit: Fresh Kills Org
