5. Sandhill Road, connecting Little Neck Station to Douglas Manor, technically doesn’t exist on maps
Sandhill Road, which connects Little Neck Station to Douglas Manor, is excluded from city maps, making it an anomaly for the local community and a confusing place to live for the handful of residents. Also called 39th Avenue (and by some, the Back Road), Sandhill Road crosses through Udalls Cove Park Preserve, the only road linking Little Neck and Douglaston above Northern Boulevard. The road’s disconnection from the city grid offers a degree of serenity and a small-town, old-country feel, though this comes with some frustrations.
Some official city maps omit the road entirely, even though the road has been around since 1873. It was originally called Railroad Avenue according to a map from the Douglaston-Little Neck Historical Society. But without being on city maps, some residents have historically expressed fears over emergency situations. There was a fight to get a fire hydrant on the road as well as speed bumps. Patch reported that residents also fought to get connected to the city’s water system and were refused “No Parking” signs as it was not technically a city street. Still, residents enjoy access to the nearby Aurora Pond and a small hiking trail with some public artworks integrated into the environment.