Final Trails Plan for Bethpage and Trail View State Parks Nassau and Suffolk Counties Towns of Oyster Bay and Huntington May 13, 2015 Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor Rose Harvey, Commissioner Bethpage and Trail View State Parks Trails Plan Table of Contents, Lists of Tables and Figures Table of Contents Acknowledgements ............................................................................................ 7 Abbreviations Used ............................................................................................ 9 Part 1 - Introduction .......................................................................................... 11 Purpose of the Plan ......................................................................................... 11 Scope .............................................................................................................. 11 The Parks ........................................................................................................ 11 Part 2 - Vision and Goals .................................................................................. 17 Immediate Priorities: ........................................................................................ 17 Vision: ............................................................................................................. 17 Goals ............................................................................................................... 18 Part 3 – Operation, Design, Management and Maintenance of the Trails .... 21 Entities Responsible for Trails Operation, Management and Maintenance ..... 21 Encroachments and Boundary Line Surveys .................................................. 21 Erosion and Wash Outs .................................................................................. 22 Risk Management ........................................................................................... 22 Trail Design Guidelines ................................................................................... 22 Trail Maintenance ............................................................................................ 29 Monitoring Program ......................................................................................... 35 Rules and Regulations .................................................................................... 35 Promotion and Marketing ................................................................................ 37 Part 4 - Inventory and Analysis........................................................................ 39 Environmental Resources ............................................................................... 39 Watershed and Water Quality Protection ........................................................ 40 Terrestrial Ecology .......................................................................................... 40 Habitat Management ....................................................................................... 41 Existing Trail System ....................................................................................... 43 Additional Land Acquisition ............................................................................. 44 Relationship to Other Plans ............................................................................. 44 Part 5 - Trails Plan Alternatives Considered................................................... 45 Trails Plan ....................................................................................................... 45 Parking Areas .................................................................................................. 46 Sanitary Facilities ............................................................................................ 48 Part 6 - Final Trails Plan ................................................................................... 51 Trail System .................................................................................................... 51 Part 7 - Implementation .................................................................................... 55 Implementation Priorities ................................................................................. 55 Part 8 - Environmental Review......................................................................... 57 Introduction ..................................................................................................... 57 Physical Impacts ............................................................................................. 57 Biological Impacts ........................................................................................... 58 Historic Resources .......................................................................................... 58 Aesthetic Impacts ............................................................................................ 59 Beneficial Impacts ........................................................................................... 59 Trail Closings, New Trails and Re-Alignment of existing trails ........................ 59 Mitigation ......................................................................................................... 59 Page 3 Bethpage and Trail View State Parks Trails Plan Table of Contents, Lists of Tables and Figures Summary of Environmental Effects ................................................................. 60 Additional Environmental reviews .................................................................... 60 References ........................................................................................................ 61 Appendices ......................................................................................................... 1 Appendix A - Signage Specifications ................................................................. 3 Appendix B – Soil Suitability Ratings ............................................................... 11 Appendix C – MOU with DOT for Bethpage Bikeway Extension ..................... 21 Appendix D – Cooperative Agreements and Memorandums of Understanding ........................................................................................................................ 27 Appendix E – Kiosk Specifications .................................................................. 39 Appendix F - Gate Specifications .................................................................... 41 Appendix G - Existing and Proposed Parking and Comfort Stations ............... 43 Appendix H – Existing and Proposed Kiosk Locations .................................... 45 Appendix I – Long Form EAF .......................................................................... 47 List of Tables Table 1 Mountain Biking Trail Dimensions .......................................................... 23 Table 2 Hiking Trail Dimensions ......................................................................... 23 Table 3 Trail Identification - Blazes and Names .................................................. 52 Table 4 Implementation Priorities ........................................................................ 55 Table 5 Net Change (Significant Ecological Communities in bold) ..................... 59 Table 6 Existing and Proposed Parking and Comfort Stations (South to North) . 43 Table 7 Existing and Proposed Kiosk Locations ................................................. 45 Figures and Maps Figure 1 Vicinity Map .......................................................................................... 13 Figure 2 Bethpage State Park Overview ............................................................. 14 Figure 3 Trail View State Park Overview ............................................................ 15 Figure 4 Typical Composting Toilet ..................................................................... 53 Figure 11 18"x18" Regulatory Sign ....................................................................... 4 Figure 12 18"x18" Trail Etiquette Sign .................................................................. 5 Figure 13 Information Sign .................................................................................... 6 Figure 14 Mileage Marker Specifications .............................................................. 7 Figure 15 Interpreting Trail Blazes ........................................................................ 8 Figure 16 Private Crossing Yield Sign .................................................................. 9 Figure 17 Road Crossing Stop Sign.................................................................... 10 Figure 18 Source: NRCS Web Soil Survey ......................................................... 16 Figure 19 Source: NRCS Web Soil Survey ......................................................... 19 Figure 20 Extension of MOU with DOT ............................................................... 23 Figure 21 Original MOU with DOT ...................................................................... 26 Figure 22 Cooperative Agreement with Long Island Greenbelt Trail Conference ............................................................................................................................ 30 Figure 23 Cooperative Agreement with Concerned Long Island Mountain Bicyclists ............................................................................................................. 33 Page 4 Bethpage and Trail View State Parks Trails Plan Table of Contents, Lists of Tables and Figures