Public Comments Needed For Ocean Parkway Bike Path By Sept 12th
 

PUBLIC COMMENTS NEEDED FOR OCEAN PARKWAY BIKE PATH BY SEPT 12TH

New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) announced that a public comment period for the proposed 14.4 mile Ocean Parkway Bike Path will held until Sept 12 2008. Residents, businesses, and all interested parties are encouraged to provide input on this proposal that seeks to provide a safe and environmentally sensitive bike path on the north side of Ocean Parkway connecting Jones Beach with Captree Beach.

"The provision of facilities to encourage non-motorized transportation is an important part of NYSDOT’s Smart Growth Policy," Regional Director Chakraborti said. "Ocean Parkway is one of Long Island’s most scenic roadways, yet it is only accessible by automobile. NYSDOT initiated this project to provide safe, enhanced access to recreational and employment opportunities for bicyclists, pedestrians and joggers and to help transform some motorized traffic into non-motorized transportation."

The proposed 14.4 -mile, approximately $12.6 million Ocean Parkway Bike Path would be built entirely on State property between the existing Wantagh State Parkway Path and Captree State Park, just east of Robert Moses Causeway. The path, which would be approximately 13-feet wide, would be buffered from and would not provide direct access to the local Ocean Parkway residential communities. Environmental and economical enhancements, such as new bird nesting boxes, plantings and wetland protections are important proposed project features. All construction materials and designs would be sensitive to the historic character of Jones Beach State Park and in accordance with current historical architectural guidelines.

There is growing opposition to this plan by the local residents and we need your supporting comments. Bike path supporters should mail their comments to:

The Ocean Parkway Shared-Use Path Project Team

NYS Department of Transportation

250 Veterans Memorial Highway Room 5A-10

Hauppauge, New York 11788

Att: Ocean Parkway Bike Path Project Team

This public information request is part of the DOT’s continuing efforts to actively seek and encourage the public’s input in the development of transportation projects in order to ensure that the completed project meets the DOT’s transportation improvement and safety goals as well as the needs of the local bicycling community.

You can download an official comment form here:

http://www.climbonline.org/pdf/dotOc...ommentForm.pdf

Talking points:

-I support the new bike path for Ocean Parkway that will connect the Wantagh Parkway Bike Path to Jones Beach and Captree Beach.

-There is currently no way to ride your bike from the Wantagh Parkway Bike Path to Jones Beach. It is illegal to ride your bike all the way to the beach. I would like to have public bike access to Jones Beach's boardwalk as well as TOBAY, GILGO, CEDAR and CAPTREE beaches.

-The Ocean Parkway Bike Path will allow families to participate in a positive recreational activity and allow economic opportunities for local concession stands during the off season.

-Look at the existing bike paths along the Bethpage Parkway and other areas for examples of cleanliness, environmental sustainability and lack of crime.

-The bike path will be constructed alongside the existing Ocean Parkway roadway, which is already a disturbed zone and therefore should not cause additional impact by slower moving and quieter bicycles.

-Long Island needs this infrastructure to accommodate bicycles in a safe fashion, we need alternatives to fossil fuels and reduce our dependency on foreign oil importation.

-By burning calories and not carbon, we can increase our fitness (reducing health care costs) while also increasing the quality of our air. It's a win-win.

-Something has to be done to decrease traffic and promote safe bicycle travel. We need bike paths along all our parkways across the island. Let's start here, let's start now.


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Please forward.

If your from out of town, mention tourism benefits.

Thanx!

I think this would be great; keep in mind any MUP would encourage recreational cycling; however, I have yet to see most commuters use MUPs for their daily routine.

It would be very cool to not have to share Glen's great bike rides with road kill, for a change. I know many here would not like a MUP for an event purpose, but I would welcome it.

I think its a great idea. A better idea would be to also extend the path across the loop parkway bridge into Point Lookout. Then I could ride the Reese park boardwalk through far rockaway, long beach, jones beach, all the way to captree. But I guess thats a whole other project.