State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez recently addressed the importance of bicycle safety during National Bicycle Safety Month, which spanned the month of May, and reminded everyone that roadway safety is a shared responsibility. On Long Island, there are 40 miles of shared-use paths and 200 miles bicycle routes along state highways. As part of its statewide active transportation network, the Department of Transportation has helped design and build thousands of miles of iconic bicycle paths and infrastructure across the state.
“May is National Bicycle Safety Month and New York State is home to some of the most scenic trails in the country,” Commissioner Dominguez said. “This is the perfect time of year to get outside, take a bike ride and enjoy the great outdoors in New York. To ensure safety, cyclists should always stay alert, wear a helmet, make sure to wear reflective clothing and use flashing lights, and follow the rules of the road. And for motorists, look out for bikes, never drive distracted, and please share the road.”
There were 938 bicyclist fatalities nationwide in 2020, which accounted for 2.4 percent of all traffic fatalities during the year. NHTSA early estimates show a 5 percent increase in bicyclist fatalities in 2021.
Motorists need to drive attentively, slow down and yield to bicyclists. Be sure to give bicyclists room. Don’t pass too closely. Pass them as you would any other vehicle when it is safe to move over into an adjacent lane. In turn, bicyclists need to do their part. Ride with the flow of traffic, obey street signs, signals, and road markings. Stay focused and alert and ride defensively by trying to anticipate what others may do before they do it. Be sure to yield to pedestrians, and always wear a helmet, and visible/reflective clothing so that you can be seen.
The Department uses a complete streets approach to project design that enables safe access for all users – pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists. This includes additional signage, highly reflective pavement markings, and designating biking facilities across Long Island.
DOT will be installing sharrows, or shared lane markings, at eight Suffolk County locations this summer as an added safety measure. These new pavement markings, with a bicycle and two arrows, indicate to both motorists and cyclists to share the travel lane and can help alert motorists leaving on-street parking spots to watch for bicycles on the road.
Additional signage for state bike routes has also been recently installed along State Routes 25, 25A, and 27 in Suffolk County. These markers point long-distance bicyclists in the right direction to get to their destinations safely and more directly.
There are several popular biking paths in the region including:
Setauket-Port Jefferson Greenway
A hilly three-mile trail giving cyclists a good aerobic workout from State Route 25A at Limroy Lane in Setauket to State Route 112 at Hallock Avenue in Port Jefferson Station.
Wantagh Parkway Shared-Use Path (Ellen Farrant Memorial Bikeway)
Starting at Cedar Creek County Park in Wantagh, this multiuse path runs approximately five miles parallel to the Wantagh State Parkway which transitions from oak forest to open tidal marshes. Bicyclists can cross over three bridges while enjoying expansive water views of South Oyster Bay. At the Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater, the path connects to the Ocean Parkway Coastal Greenway.
Bethpage Bikeway
For nearly 13 miles, the Bethpage Bikeway takes cyclists through the Massapequa Preserve featuring a shady trail along a tranquil stream passing several ponds stocked with fish and waterfowl. Continue north along the Bethpage State Parkway through Bethpage State Park and Trail View State Park. North of the Long Island Expressway, pedal up and coast down the long undulating hills which lead to the Woodbury Corporate Park. Several sections of the Bikeway’s riding surface were renewed in 2022 and 2023.
Hempstead Turnpike Shared-Use Path
This 1.5 mile route traverses the north side of Hempstead Turnpike (State Route 24) and runs between Hofstra University, Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, and Eisenhower Park.
Over the last 12 years, NYSDOT has built over 30 miles of new shared-use paths across Long Island including:
• The Ocean Parkway Coastal Greenway in Nassau and Suffolk Counties, completed ahead of schedule in 2021;
• New paths along a section of Nassau Expressway (State Route 878) and within Jones Beach State Park in Nassau County;
• Construction of over four miles of the Parks to Port Greenway along State Route 347 between State Route 454 and Gibbs Pond Road in Suffolk County.
NYSDOT anticipates constructing approximately ten more miles of shared-use paths over the next seven years along State Route 347, continuing eastward to State Route 25A.
There are more biking maps, route locations, safety tips, and traveling information available online at www.dot.ny.gov/display/programs/bicycle. Information about biking to work, including locations of bicycle lockers, is located at www.511nyrideshare.org/biking.
State Parks Commissioner Erik Kulleseid said, “Biking is an amazing recreational activity and something that should be enjoyed safely. Whether exploring a state park or the thousands of miles of scenic trails that New York State provides, it’s important to always stay alert and wear a helmet.”
For up-to-date travel information, call 511, visit www.511NY.org or download the free 511NY mobile app.
Motorists are urged to plan accordingly and drive responsibly in work zones. Fines are doubled for speeding in a work zone. Convictions of two or more speeding violations in a work zone could result in the suspension of an individual’s driver license.
—Submitted by the New York State Department of Transportation
Long Island Has 240 Miles Of State Biking Pathways For New Yorkers And Visitors To Safely Enjoy
Bike safely in New York State.
(Photo courtesy Unsplash)
