Senator Fuschillo Announces Construction of New Ocean Parkway Shared-Use Path

     Senator Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr. (R-Merrick) announced that the New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) has started construction on the new Ocean Parkway Coastal Greenway, a 3.6 mile shared-use path (SUP) between Jones Beach State Park and Tobay Beach. The $3.8 million project will provide vital links for bicyclists and pedestrians between the widely utilized Wantagh Shared Use Path, Jones Beach, and Tobay Beach. 

     “Thousands of bicyclists, runners, and walkers already use the Wantagh Shared Use Path. Soon they will be able to continue along to the Ocean Parkway, enjoy the beautiful south shore coastline, and have access to Tobay Beach,” said Senator Fuschillo, Chairman of the Senate’s Transportation Committee. “The Ocean Parkway Coastal Greenway is a smart investment that will be widely utilized, and I applaud the Department of Transportation for moving it forward.”

     The new Ocean Parkway Coastal Greenway is being constructed on the north side of Ocean Parkway and will connect the recently completed Jones Beach access path at Jones Beach State Park Parking Field Five to the Tobay Beach parking field, 3.6 miles to the east. The path will be 13 feet wide, will meet Americans with Disability Act accessibility requirements and will include a cable guiderail to protect users from Ocean Parkway traffic. The project includes enhanced landscaping, educational signs, informational kiosks, benches, and storage for 24 bicycles at Tobay Beach. Path users will also have access to the Tobay beach facilities, including the bay and ocean beaches, restaurant, and playground.

     When completed, cyclists and pedestrians will be able to travel from Cedar Creek Park at the beginning of the Wantagh SUP, through Jones Beach facilities to Tobay Beach, a total of 8.8 miles, on a safe, paved SUP.