New York State Department of Transportation—Ocean Parkway Shared Use Path, Tobay Beach to Captree State Park

New York State DOT opened up accessibility for bicyclists and pedestrians with the construction of a new shared use path on Long island.

Although Ocean Parkway is one of Long Island’s most scenic roadways, east of Tobay Beach it was only accessible by automobile. Given the parkway’s proximity to recreational access areas, pedestrian use along the parkway without out a designated facility was a safety concern and was recognized as a deficiency in Long Island’s Comprehensive Transportation Plan.

In response to this, NYSDOT created a new $16 million 10-mile shared-use path that completes a critical link between several area parks and creates a continuous 18-mile bike and pedestrian path. The project has had a positive impact on the community. People of all ages and abilities from the diverse Long Island communities can now experience nature in a more direct and impactful way as they can now walk or bike an additional 10-miles to connect to parks and beaches while capturing scenic views of the Great South Bay and the serenity of the coastal environment.