Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan for Select Historic Long Island Parkways Project Overview A scenic byway is a roadway corridor that has outstanding scenic, natural, recreational, cultural, archaeological or historic signi cance. These Long Island parkways are designated scenic byways under the New York State Scenic Byways Program because of their outstanding and unique historic and scenic character, which are also recognized in State and National Registers of Historic Places.

Selected Scenic Byways Municipalities along the Byway

• Bethpage State Parkway Nassau County Suolk County • Wantagh State Parkway • Town of Hempstead • Town of Babylon • Meadowbrook State Parkway • Town of Oyster Bay • Town of Islip • Loop Parkway • Village of Freeport • Village of Farmingdale • Bay Parkway • Village of Massapequa Park • Ocean Parkway

The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) has retained The RBA Group to develop a Corridor Management Plan (CMP) that outlines strategies to protect, improve and promote the places and features that characterize these historic Parkways. The Plan will assess the unique character of the Parkways and will identify actions that can be taken by local communities, visitor sites, managing agencies and others. The Plan will include an implementation strategy and will provide access to new funding sources and technical assistance.

This one and a half year project will engage public and private stakeholders in a collaborative process to improve the traveler’s experience and to bene t the local economy through Byway tourism. An Advisory Committee of public and private stakeholders will guide the planning process and the public will be invited to provide input at key junctures.

This project is sponsored by NYSDOT with funding from the Federal Highway Administration.

Project Goals • Strategies for Byway protection, improvement and promotion • Coordination among public and private stakeholders • Access to technical assistance and funding

Select Historic Parkways The parkways shown on the right were selected for their outstanding historic and scenic qualities, and for their association with Robert Moses, Long Island’s master planner and builder. The parkways were built as part of the Long Island State Park system to enhance and extend the park experience onto the roadways. Jones Beach State Park and Bethpage State Park and their associated parkways represent some of Robert Moses’ nest examples of this vision on Long Island. Wantagh State Parkway, South of the Southern State Parkway (Constructed 1927-1932) • Provided the rst public access to Jones Beach State Park • First section (from Sunrise Highway to Jones Beach) opened in 1929, on the same day as Jones Beach State Park and included a multi-use path • Initial section has two northbound lanes and two southbound lanes with no separating barrier • Was extended north from Merrick Road to Southern State Parkway in 1932, with three lanes in each direction and a wide landscaped median

Ocean Parkway (Constructed 1930-1934) • Runs west to east approximately 15.7 miles along a barrier island from Jones Beach State Park in Nassau County to Captree State Park in Suolk County • The longest of the selected parkways, it passes through three State Parks, two counties and four towns (Hempstead, Oyster Bay, Babylon and Islip) • Within Jones Beach State Park, Ocean Parkway is a formally landscaped boulevard with wide plazas, while the eastern portion is a more informal scenic drive

Bay Parkway (Constructed 1930-1934) • Acts as a service route providing access to the boathouse, shing piers, parking lots and the Jones Beach Amphitheater • Runs 3.2 miles within Jones Beach State Park

Loop Parkway (Constructed 1932-1934) • 2.7 mile Loop Parkway was built to connect the Meadowbrook State Parkway near Jones Beach with Point Lookout on Lido Beach • Built on hydraulic ll on land donated to New York State by the Town of Hempstead

Meadowbrook State Parkway, South of the Southern State Parkway (Constructed 1932-1935) • Constructed from Merrick Road South to Jones Beach State Park to alleviate southbound trac on the Wantagh State Parkway • In 1935 was extended 2.8 miles north to the Southern State Parkway in North Merrick

Bethpage State Parkway (1934-1936) • Opened in 1936 to connect motorists from Southern State Parkway to Bethpage State Park • 2.4 miles long, runs south to north within the Town of Oyster Bay • A multi-use trail runs along the entire length of the parkway

Website References NYSDOT, Scenic Byways Program: www.nysdot.gov/programs/scenic-byways America’s Byways, National Scenic Byways Program: www.byways.org New York State Oce of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation: nysparks.state.ny.us/