Do you ever imagine hoping on your bike for a weekend trip to the Finger Lakes? Or dream of a trail system in New York equal to Canada’s Friendship Trail, where an easy, well-signed routes takes you straight to the beach? The Trails Plan Bill, recently sent to Governor Cuomo for his approval, would enable just that. Can you support it?
The Trails Plan Bill (S.4416B/A.5035B) requires the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation to create a plan regarding non-motorized multi-use trails in consultation with the Department of Environmental Conservation, the Department of Health and the Department of Transportation.
With the Empire State Trail expected to be completed next year and numerous trails planned or in construction in Western New York, such as the Northeast Greenway Initiative, Erie Cattaraugus Rail Trail, and the extension of the Shoreline Trail, to name only a few, coordinated trail planning and management strategies are vital to ensure a connected, easy-to-use network. The Trails Plan Bill would outline a statewide plan for our multi-use trails to encourage connections and coordination among municipalities, allowing the trail user seamless enjoyment of these wonderful assets.
Please contact Governor Cuomo to let him know you support the Trails Plan Bill (S.4416B/A.5035B).
You can contact Governor Cuomo via this link.
Parks and Trails has provided the below sample letter to express your support:
Dear Governor Cuomo,
I write to voice my strong support for S.4416B/A.5035B and encourage you to sign this legislation. As you know, this bill would direct the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation to complete a comprehensive statewide plan of multi-use trails that would guide future investments and allow New York to leverage the economic power of the Empire State Trail for communities across the state.
Thanks to you, the completion of the Empire State Trail in 2020 will make New York home to the nation’s premier multi-use trail – 750 miles of off-road trails and safe on-road connections that will generate hundreds of millions of dollars annually, support thousands of jobs, and provide meaningful and safer transportation options for the many residents who live along the trail.
By passing this bill, New York will be able to develop a vision and blueprint for the state’s trail system as a whole, making the Empire State Trail the “spine” of a larger network that brings economic, health, and environmental benefits to communities throughout the state and establishes New York as a destination for outdoor tourism for years to come.
I urge you to sign S.4416B/A.5035B into law and give our state’s trail system a vision for the future.