Posted by ernie beach on November 16, 2004 at 19:13:38:
The Advance reported that the city will begin construction on a continuation of the path at the South Beach Boardwalk to Fort Wadsworth and also extend it to Miller Field and then Great Kills. Good News for runners and bikers. Less traffic to worry about and a splendid view. Let's hope it's a go. The story is reprinted below.
Construction planned for 50-mile bikeway around Island
First phase focuses on 6-mile stretch from Fort Wadsworth to Great Kills Park
Tuesday, November 16, 2004
By MICHAEL SCHOLL
The city is about to begin the first major phase of an ambitious plan to establish a 50-mile-long bicycle trail around Staten Island.
Construction is scheduled to begin in the spring on part of a six-mile-long waterfront bikeway that would stretch from Fort Wadsworth to Great Kills Park.
The bikeway will serve as a segment of the Staten Island Bikeway and Cultural Trail, a proposed 50-mile greenway network that is to encircle the borough.
Construction of the Staten Island Bikeway and Cultural Trail was suggested by then-Borough President Guy Molinari in 1995 to improve access to scenic waterfront views and to make it easier for bicyclists and walkers to reach the borough's historic landmarks and recreational sites.
Molinari divided his proposed trail into six segments, including one called "The Beach," which would run from Fort Wadsworth through South Beach, Ocean Breeze, Midland Beach to New Dorp and Oakwood before ending in Great Kills Park.
The city adopted the Molinari proposal but has moved slowly toward making it a reality. However, the project took a big step forward earlier this month when the city Parks Department began soliciting bids from companies interested in working on the Fort Wadsworth-to-Great Kills segment.
Parks Department spokeswoman Dana Rubinstein said contractors are being asked to submit sealed bids for a contract to build a three-mile stretch of bikeway running from Fort Wadsworth to New Dorp.
The route of this three-mile section would incorporate existing bike paths along the Franklin D. Roosevelt Boardwalk and would terminate at Miller Field. The remainder of the "Beach" segment, stretching from Miller Field to Great Kills Park, would be built sometime in the future.
Construction of the Fort Wadsworth-to-New Dorp section is due to begin in the spring and is expected to be completed in fall 2006, Ms. Rubinstein said.
Bids for the Fort Wadsworth-New Dorp contract are due Nov. 30. Ms. Rubinstein declined to give an estimate as to how much the winning bid would be.
Michael Scholl covers City Hall for the Advance. He may be reached at scholl@siadvance.com.