Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe joined elected officials in Long Island City Monday for a ground breaking ceremony to turn an old commuter lot at Queens Plaza into a new green space.

The project is expected to create a 1.5 acre park and pedestrian walkways along the busy street.

Due to the construction, traffic will also be rerouted around the Queensborough Bridge.

"You're going to see traffic that's currently going to our left, is going to be going on the right side. So that you don't have to cross the street to get into the park space," said New York City Economic Development Corporation President Seth Pinsky.

The $76 million project is expected to be completed by the end of 2011.