Long Island Greenway Plan to Link Montauk and Manhattan Advances

The Long Island Greenway, a proposed 175-mile pedestrian and bicycle route that officials are seeking to establish from Montauk to Manhattan, is taking steps forward in the planning process.

The proposed Greenway would link parks, trails and public lands while providing a combination of off-road/on-road connection between communities — with work starting to the west and making its way eastbound.

“The abundance of beautiful parklands, trails and natural open spaces are one of the aspects that make our island such a desirable place to live, and the Long Island Greenway will connect our communities and enable Long Islanders to better enjoy an active lifestyle,” said John Cameron, chair of the Long Island Regional Planning Council, which is discussing the plan at its February 10 meeting.

Once enacted, the Long Island Greenway would be the local leg of New York State’s 750-mile Empire Trail that stretches from Buffalo in the west and Plattsburg in the north to New York City.

The plan is funded through a combination of private and taxpayer support through the state’s recently renewed Environmental Bond Act.

Phase 1, which will run 25 miles from Eisenhower Park in East Meadow to Brentwood State Park, is slated to begin next year.

“The Long Island Greenway will serve not only as an economic and tourism draw for communities across the Island, but it will serve as a vital component of daily life for residents, allowing for a cleaner, safer mode of transportation,” said Carter Strickland, vice president of the Mid-Atlantic region and New York State director at Trust for Public Land.