Golden: Bike Path Reconstruction Complete

Brooklyn- State Senator Marty Golden (R-C, 22nd District) speaking yesterday at the ribbon cutting ceremony officially reopening the bike and pedestrian path along Shore Road in Brooklyn, praised the reconstruction and urged the implementation of the plan to develop a bike and pedestrian pathway across the Verrazano Bridge as the necessary next step.

Senator Golden stated, "The bike and pedestrian path had significantly deteriorated over the years, and the partnership formed with the City of New York, Congressman Vito Fossella, the Parks Department and the Department of Environmental Protection allowed for the bike path to be returned to the people in stellar condition."

Golden continued, "This bike path and the waterfront are one of our community's greatest treasures. To have it exist in a dangerous manner was of great concern to the entire neighborhood and this major reconstruction project became critical. The integrity of the bike path, insuring the safety of all those who bike ride, jog and walk along the Narrows."

Senator Golden also highlighted the need to expand the capabilities of the travel of people, calling for attention and serious consideration of the plan to create a bike and pedestrian lane that stretches the span of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.

"Now that the bike path along Shore Road is repaired, there has never been a better time to construct the "Lifeline", to connect Brooklyn to Staten Island for pedestrians, joggers and cyclists by creating a lane for such traveling on the Verrazano Bridge. I applaud the work of civic activist Charles Otey, who for years has built support within this community for the project, and has collected thousands of signatures. We must seize this opportunity to see that this plan is implemented. It will be an extraordinary addition and one that will be very beneficial."

The City of New York declared the Shore Parkway Seawall reconstruction an emergency on June 15, 2005 and the work began on June 24, 2005.

The Promenade Bike Path was constructed in the 1940's to complement the Belt Parkway. It loops almost entirely around the borough's shoreline and features bicycle and pedestrian path for about 13 miles along the waterfront. From Bay Ridge Avenue to the Verrazano Bridge, the greenway hosts a bicycle path and a separate but parallel pedestrian path.