Parks and trails suffer the effects of Superstorm Sandy

The impacts from Sandy will likely take some time to fully realize, but we already know the damage to parks and trails in New York City, Long Island and the Hudson Valley is extensive. Damage estimates to state parks and historic sites alone total well over $100 million. Two of New York's most beloved and heavily visited state parks, Jones Beach and Robert Moses, were particularly devastated, with significant damage to buildings, roads, infrastructure, and beachfronts, and remain closed indefinitely.

The superstorm, along with last year's storms, have only further compounded the existing infrastructure needs at state parks and historic sites and reinforced the importance of restoring our park system with long-term resiliency and sustainability in mind. Investing wisely in parks infrastructure, including both natural and built infrastructure that utilize sustainable development practices, will serve as a national model for rebuilding smarter after storms and help protect these treasured places and their surrounding communities from the impacts of future storms. 

The devastation also underscores the need to ensure that the full measure of federal transportation dollars are quickly made available for trail and bicycle and pedestrian projects from the remaining Transportation Enhancements as well as the new Transportation Alternatives Programs. In the wake of limited gas and flooded subways, New York City's recently improved bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure offered a way to safely get around. The Thursday after the storm, 30,000 cyclists crossed the East River bridges, according to NYCDOT. Normally, 13,000 do. In rebuilding our neighborhoods, we must ensure that they include infrastructure that ensures safe bicycling and walking.

Governor Cuomo has shown great leadership and commitment to parks and trails in the storm's aftermath. The outpouring of support from volunteers has also been tremendous; NYC Parks has actually had to turn volunteers away.

PTNY will continue to press for reinvestment in our state park system, statewide trails network, and community bike/ped infrastructure, and build on the positive momentum and support for these resources that has already been begun.

Our thoughts are with the many people and organizations affected by the recent storms and we hope for a speedy recovery process.

PTNY continues to push for trails and bike/ped funding

PTNY is continuing its efforts to ensure that the full measure of NY's old and new federal transportation dollars are allocated to support trails, complete streets, and active transportation.  PTNY's Fran Gotcsik and representatives of the New York Bicycling Coalition, Tri-State Transportation Campaign, AARP and Empire State Future recently met with Cuomo executive administration staff to thank the Governor for his support of the Recreational Trails Program and discuss when local governments will be able to access remaining Transportation Enhancements Program (TEP) funds. PTNY believes that as much as $30-50 million of TEP dollars may still remain and that NYSDOT should make these dollars available as soon as possible to local governments to fund trails and bicycle and pedestrian projects.

The group also discussed implementation of the new Transportation Alternatives program, created by the federal MAP-21 law to fund trails, bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, complete streets, safe routes to school and recreational trail programs. The U.S. Department of Transportation recently released its interim guidance, to provide states with additional information on how to interpret and implement the Transportation Alternatives Program of MAP-21. Advocacy Advance has more on what this means for future funding of active transportation.

Bicycling and walking - missing from NYSDOT Capital Plan

At their meeting with the Governor's staff, PTNY staff and other advocates also expressed concern that NYSDOT's Two-Year Capital Plan, recently presented to NY Works, makes no mention of walking and bicycling as part of the state's transportation system - an egregious omission.

In Photo: Nadine Lemmon, Tri-State Transportation Campaign; Fran Gotcsik, PTNY; Brian Kehoe, NY Bicycling Coalition; David Hogenkamp, Empire State Future; Bill Ferris, AARP

Urge Gov. Cuomo to enhance the EPF

The Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) protects and enhances our parks, trails, clean water, local farms, and zoos and provides funding for waterfront redevelopment and recycling programs - all while creating local jobs and boosting our economy!  

In June, the Legislature passed a bill that will dedicate $56 million of the revenue from the state's bottle deposit law to the EPF in the coming years. New York collects more than $100 million from unclaimed bottle deposits every year. Take a moment to urge the Governor to commit to invest some of these resources to grow the EPF and protect our air, land, and water.

ACT NOW! Call (518) 474-8390 or write Governor Cuomo today, and urge him to show his love for New York by growing the Environmental Protection Fund!

Click here for sample language for a letter or a call. 

News from State Parks

Playground improvements coming to a park near you

Kids (and parents)...get ready. State Parks recently announced plans to update or create more than 50 playgrounds, particularly in parks that are popular with families, such as Point Au Roche State Park near Plattsburgh and John Boyd Thacher State Park near Albany. The playgrounds are funded through the NY Works initiative.  Find out more about park playground improvements in your region.

. 

Want more news on State Parks?

See the Fall issue of our e-newsletter, You Gotta Have Friends, for information on a new state park, "green" projects at state parks and historic sites, and much more.

Honoring New York's park & trail champions

A large and lively crowd joined PTNY on October 17 to celebrate and honor Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, Congressman Maurice D. Hinchey, and Brookfield and its Co-Chairman John E. Zuccotti.

At the event, PTNY presented its Park Legacy Award to Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo for his commitment to keep New York's state parks open and for providing increased capital funding for the magnificent but previously underfunded state park system.

Congressman Hinchey, who is retiring this year, was honored with PTNY's George W. Perkins Award for his long and distinguished record of leadership on behalf of New York's precious natural and historic heritage. And PTNY honored Brookfield Renewable Energy Partners and Mr. Zuccotti with the Perkins Award for creating green and beautiful public spaces and for an outstanding record as a model of corporate social responsibility.

Honorary Chairs of the event were Dr. Lucy R. Waletzky, Chair of the State Parks Council; former NYS Parks Commissioner Joan Davidson; Robert R. Dyson, head of the Dyson Foundation; and Diana L. Taylor, Chair of the Hudson River Park Trust.

In the photo: State Parks Commissioner Rose Harvey (center) accepted PTNY's Park Legacy award on behalf of Gov. Cuomo. PTNY Board Chair Judy Mower (left) presented the award and Dr. Lucy R. Waletzky offered a tribute to the Governor.

PTNY Healthy Trails, Healthy People program supports community trails

PTNY staff Martin Daley and Eli Yearick visited the Sullivan County town of Fallsburg to undertake a Universal Trail Assessment Profile audit and distribute trail user surveys for the O&W Rail Trail. The visit also provided the opportunity to download trail count data from an automated counter set alongside the trail. The Fallsburg trail committee recently installed interpretive signs on the trail, made possible by an HTHP program grant from PTNY.

In the Delaware County community of Andes, Andes Works! has used a PTNY grant to create a logo and build a trailhead kiosk for its 1-mile rail trail.

Since launching Healthy Trails, Healthy People in 2004, PTNY has helped 38 communities in 34 counties with the development and promotion of 260 miles of trail across New York State. Healthy Trails, Healthy People is funded in part by a grant from the Healthy Heart Program of the NYS Department of Health.

Albany's Hudson River bridge walkway gains support

The Albany County Legislature unanimously passed a proclamation of support for the Livingston Avenue Bridge walkway. A press conference to mark the event was held on October 25 at the Corning Preserve in Albany. The cities of Albany and Troy, the Rensselaer County Legislature, and the Hudson River Valley Greenway and Greenway Conservancy have also passed resolutions in support. Read press coverage.

In the photo: PTNY Project Director Martin Daley speaks at the press conference for the walkway.

Adirondack Rail Trail gains support while railroad proposes resumption of train service

Adirondack Recreational Trail Advocates (ARTA) has made steady progress in its efforts to create a 90-mile recreational rail trail from Lake Placid to Old Forge in the Adirondacks.  Almost 10,000 persons have signed an on-line petition to register their support for the trail.  The group recently picked up key resolutions in support of removing the tracks and building a trail from the Towns of North Elba and Piercefield and Village of Lake Placid. The Town of Tupper Lake and Village of Saranac Lake have also passed resolutions in favor of reviewing and updating the DEC's Unit Management Plan for the rail corridor.

While the rail-trail concept gains traction, a recent announcement by the Adirondack Rail Preservation Society, operator of a tourist train on the corridor between Lake Placid and Saranac Lake, and Iowa Pacific Holdings, operator of the region's Saratoga and North Creek Railway, outlined a plan to use the corridor to offer high-end Pullman service for passengers between New York City and Lake Placid. 

Controversy shadows Queens park proposals

Three separate proposals could mean big changes for Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens. Plans are currently being reviewed for a Major League Soccer stadium, the expansion of the U.S. Tennis Center, and a retail mall on a total of about 15 acres of designated parkland in a dense urban area. Supporters tout the economic boost the proposals could bring to the borough, but opponents are concerned about the loss of parkland that is heavily used primarily by the local immigrant minority community.

National Trails Fund grants available

Members of American Hiking Society's Alliance of Hiking Organizations can apply for National Trails Fund grants worth up to $5,000. Application deadline is December 15, 2012.

Leaf Peeping in Parks

We asked our Facebook and Twitter followers to share their best fall foliage photos taken in parks. This beautiful photo from Fillmore Glen State Park in the Finger Lakes was taken by Facebook fan Tony Ingraham.

Get ready for our next challenge--Winter Wonderland photos

Winter is just around the corner (some of us are feeling it already!) and we want to see your Winter Wonderland shots taken in New York's parks and trails. Post your best shots to our Facebook page or tweet them to us @PTNY