Northeast - Meadowbrook MUP Extension?

I was in Brand's in Wantagh during lunch and there was a flyer stating that the bike path was going to be extended to Syosset during the Spring of 2010.

I thought this project, that has been pushed and pulled for 10 years or more, was finally dead. Is it back in the budget? Does anyone know where they are going to actually go with it, or is going to be another path that abruptly ends in the worst possible traffic area? Maybe not all the way to syosette, but stop at the Eisenhower Park?

Disregard. After I posted I realized they are talking about the Massapequa MUP that goes through Bethpage park. The Meadowbrook MUP does come with in 10 miles of Syosset. Duh!

I am not surprised they are extending that MUP, but I haven't seen anything about it. I wonder where it is going to end?

>>>>Disregard. After I posted I realized they are talking about the Massapequa MUP that goes through Bethpage park. The Meadowbrook MUP does come with in 10 miles of Syosset. Duh!

I am not surprised they are extending that MUP, but I haven't seen anything about it. I wonder where it is going to end?<<<<<

I've been involved with this extension from the beginning, wwwaaaaayyy back before 9-11-01, when it seemed like it might really happen. They're talking about it again, but there's a whole new bunch of people assigned to the project and, in my opinion, they're making a big mistake.

The new plan is to end the off-road path at Sunnyside Blvd and Woodbury Road and then to send cyclists along the most dangerous stretch of Woodbury Road, north, as far as Piquets Lane. There, they will cross a horrible intersection and ride a very narrow stretch of Piquets Lane that is known for accidents caused by kids speeding away from Syosset High School and vehicles shooting out of a funeral home parking lot to keep up with the procession. After narrowly surviving this piece of the journey, cyclists will have to cross a busy section of Jericho Turnpike and continue on Southwoods Road with all the high school speeders and Humvee Moms texting their kids while swerving all over the road.

What started out as a smart, safe use of the abandoned Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway extension has now turned into a HORRIBLE idea. I hope they don't waste any money on it.

So how are they getting from the current North end of the trail to Sunnyside? Are they going to branch off the current trail as it turns to head up the hill and go over to the edge of the SOB, then follow the East side of the SOB straight North? If they are then how are they crossing Plainview Rd and Old Country? I would hope they are intending to put it over them like the SOB goes now.

The original plan was an extension of the Bethpage Bike Path north from BP State Park to Syosset.

- Follow the Bethpage Parkway RoW in the woods to Washington Ave. The path would then be on pavement as a bike lane heading west on the LIE Service Road to Sunnyside Lane (I've no idea if they had a path on the south service road from Sunnyside to Washington), then down to the Woodbury Rd. interchange and up Angel Way and into the old Rt135 RoW to Convent Rd. Then west again on street as bike lane on Convent to S. ObY Rd./Jackson up to the LIRR station in Syosset, which is the ISTEA tie-in point.

- Locals in the area of Angels Way played their NIMBY game and the route has changed.

- With proposed plan as reported by Tom, the Woodbury Rd portion is the only one I would be concerned with. Unless they make one of the 2 lanes of Woodbury, in ea. direction a bike lane (doubtful), they have issues with motorists. They have issues anyway and the turn onto Piquets is problematic.

- At this point I disagree with Tom about the suitability of Piquest and S Woods Rd., as both are entirely suitable for bikes. The only choke point is where S. Woods crosses over the LIRR just south of the High School, but here I expect the path/route will have already gone left on Syosett-Woodbury Rd to head west to Syosett LIRR. FWIW, I ride both Piquest and S Woods regularly and have never had issues, at any time of day. These roads are heavily trafficked by cyclists, as they are popular bike club routes and nobody reports incidents, so I believe they are suitable alternatives, given that Woodbury Rd and the turn north on Piquets have to be carefully thought out.

Steve B.

>>>>At this point I disagree with Tom about the suitability of Piquest and S Woods Rd., as both are entirely suitable for bikes.<<<<<

If we're talking about bikes ridden by experienced riders like us, it's one thing. I ride Piquets and Southwoods all the time, as I live in this area. But my goal is to get lots of new or shaky riders out there on bikes. Putting "Share The Road" signs along roads that most people wouldn't dare ride now doesn't seem like much of an improvement or a means to suddenly lure them out onto the streets.

Of course, I will never strike down ANY plan that is designed to improve bicycling in our area. However, given that there are many options for this path - including a huge stretch of abandoned Rt. 135 property - I can't seem to let go of the fight. Also, while funding for this project requires that the path terminate at some form of public transportation facility, we all know that it will be used mostly for recreation. The southern portion of the path invites riders of all levels to enjoy a safe, virtually car-free day out on a bicycle. It feels like a gross, irresponsible misrepresentation to show parents a quiet, grass-lined path along a stream in Massapequa and then dump their kids onto Woodbury Road at the other end.

What's your feeling about who will actually use the route, Steve B? Perhaps I'm way off on this.

My thoughts are to target usage of the Bethpage Bike Path extension to folks as a recreational activity, not as a commuter route. Mostly as the route, especially the portion in the woods from BPSP to Washington Ave. is unlikely to be a major bike commuting corridor. The section to the Syosset LIRR is a sop to get the funding.

I also feel that an on-street bike lane system is desperately needed in Nassau and western Suffolk, so there will be bike friendly roads that folks can use, for commuting,, shopping, and recreation. Motorists in the burbs out here need to get conditioned to giving up some space to bikes, and on street bike lanes are the only answer, thus the route up Piquets and on local streets in Syosset is a start, and given that Nassau County has traditionally been dead set against marked bike lanes, 'ya gotta start somewhere.

SB

>>>>and given that Nassau County has traditionally been dead set against marked bike lanes, 'ya gotta start somewhere.<<<<<

I guess you know about my ongoing "discussion" with Judy Jacobs about reserving a piece of the new Jackson Avenue in Syosset for a multi-use path? The sidewalks are such a waste and there's no room along the shoulder for a bike lane. Her official stance is that the engineers like the idea of replacing one sidewalk with a MUP; however, Nassau County determined that if it works out here in Syosset, EVERY hamlet will be asking for one.