Jackie Robinson Parkway: A New Driver's Guide (2026)

AI-generated image for illustration. Not a real lesson or student.

The Jackie Robinson Parkway is a 4.95-mile winding parkway that connects Brooklyn and Queens, NYC, past Highland Park and Forest Park. NYC Parks lists it as park property, so learner permit holders may not drive it. Wait until you are licensed, then take its tight curves slowly and plan your exit.

Fact-checked against official NY DMV, NYC Parks and NYC DOT pages, November 12, 2026
Last updated: November 12, 2026

For drivers in East New York, Cypress Hills, Ridgewood, Glendale, Forest Hills and Kew Gardens, the Jackie Robinson Parkway is a shortcut between Brooklyn and central Queens. It is also known for its tight curves. This guide covers what the parkway is, why permit holders stay off it, six habits for your first licensed drive, how it compares with nearby roads, and what to watch for this November.

Start with the basics.

The infographic below shows the six habits covered later in this guide.

Infographic by Drive Rite Academy. Photos are AI-generated for illustration.

Can You Drive the Jackie Robinson Parkway With a Learner Permit?

No, and this is the most important rule in this guide. The DMV's learner permit restrictions say that with a learner permit you may not drive on any street within a park in New York City, or on any bridge or tunnel under the jurisdiction of the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority (MTA Bridges and Tunnels).

The DMV list does not name the Jackie Robinson Parkway, but NYC Parks lists the Jackie Robinson Parkway as park property (Park ID Q083). That is why we treat it as a road for licensed drivers only. A licensed supervising driver in the passenger seat does not change the rule.

What the Jackie Robinson Parkway Is

Now that the permit rule is clear, here is the road itself. NYC DOT says the parkway opened in 1935 as the Interboro Parkway and serves as a 4.95-mile winding road that connects Brooklyn and Queens. New York State renamed it in 1997, on the 50th anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking Major League Baseball's color barrier with the Brooklyn Dodgers.

NYC Parks says the original design featured a 35 miles-per-hour speed limit and tight curves, and that the road feeds the Grand Central Parkway and gives access to Forest Park and Highland Park. Always follow the speed limit posted today. Like other city parkways, it was built for passenger cars: NYC DOT's highway travel permit page explains that city parkways were originally designed only for passenger cars and that many underpasses only clear passenger vehicles. Do not take a rented moving truck onto the parkway.

6 Habits for Your First Jackie Robinson Parkway Drive

With that background, here are the habits we coach. They are for licensed drivers, and they follow the DMV manual chapters on special driving conditions and defensive driving.

1. Wait until you are licensed. Drive the Jackie Robinson Parkway only once you hold your license. Until then, build skills on roads your permit allows.
2. Know your direction and exit. Before you start, know whether you are heading east toward the Grand Central Parkway in Queens or west into Brooklyn, and which exit you need. If you miss it, the DMV manual says to stay on until the next exit, and never to back up on a ramp or cross a median.
3. Use the ramp to match speed. Unless the ramp has a stop sign, yield sign or light, use it to speed up to the flow of traffic, signal, and check over your shoulder for a gap.
4. Slow down for tight curves. The parkway is known for its winding layout. Brake before a curve, not in it, keep both hands on the wheel, and stay centered in your lane.
5. Keep a two-second gap. The DMV manual's two-second rule gives you a space cushion. Use more time in rain, in the dark or when leaves cover the road.
6. Signal your exit early. Move into the exit lane ahead of time, signal at least 100 feet before the exit ramp, and slow down on the ramp, not in the travel lane.

November on the Jackie Robinson Parkway

The season adds a few things to plan for. Clocks went back one hour on November 1, so evening drives start in the dark sooner. New York requires headlights from one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise, when visibility is under 1,000 feet, and whenever your wipers are on. The DMV manual also warns that wet leaves are slippery, asks for extra care on curves, turns and expressway ramps, and notes that bridges, ramps and overpasses freeze first. A tree-lined parkway that passes two large parks gets plenty of fallen leaves this time of year. Our nighttime driving tips help with darker evenings.

Jackie Robinson Parkway vs Nearby Roads

Here is how the Jackie Robinson Parkway compares with roads that new drivers in Brooklyn and Queens often ask about.

New Drivers: Probation Still Applies

Passing your road test is the start, not the finish. You begin a 6-month probation period. A conviction for speeding, reckless driving, following too closely, a speed contest, or using a phone or other portable device during probation leads to a 60-day suspension, as do any 2 other moving violations. Curves and sudden slowdowns near exits leave little room for error, so keep your gap and keep your phone down.

Practice With Drive Rite in Brooklyn and Queens

Drive Rite Academy teaches in Brooklyn and Queens, including driving lessons in Cypress Hills, Kew Gardens and Forest Hills. Once you have your license, a highway driving lesson lets you practice ramps, merges, curves and exits with an instructor beside you. Our highway lessons are for licensed drivers only. If you still have a permit, Queens driving lessons on local streets are the place to start. For current prices, give us a call at 718-928-7048 or enroll online to see them.

For more, see our tips for your first highway drive, our guide to merging on the highway and, if your road test is coming up nearby, our Ridgewood road test site guide.

Your Next Step

The Jackie Robinson Parkway is short, but its curves make it a real step for a new driver in Brooklyn or Queens. Wait for your license, know your direction and exit, use the ramp to match speed, slow down before each curve, keep your two-second gap, and signal early. Learn it one stretch at a time, in daylight first.

Looking for lessons near you? Choose your borough below.