Local change is often made at kitchen tables and during friendly neighborhood conversations. Or, as it is these days, when that kitchen table talk is taken to the street via social media channels and online petitions.
Photo via Support a Bike Path for the Rt. 6 Traffic Circle and Ian Diamond and Mike Benowitz of New City.
Chalk one up for Sloatsburger Ian Diamond and his New City friend Mike Benowitz, who in just a few short weeks have gathered more than 2,800 signatures for a Change.org petition advocating the construction of pedestrian and bike bypass at the Long Mountain traffic circle along norther Seven Lakes Drive, where the road meets Route 6. Seven Lakes Drive feeds into the Route 6 traffic circle which is currently inaccessible for cyclists and pedestrians. According to Diamond’s petition, a “bypass would allow cyclists, hikers and runners to safely enjoy the beauty of Seven Lakes Drive from Bear Mountain to Sloatsburg, and it would be an added draw to Harriman State Park.”
It’s nearly a straight downhill bike ride along Seven Lakes Drive from Old Silver Mine Ski Center through beautiful Harriman State Park. The Silver Mine stop is just south of the Seven Lakes/Route 6 traffic circle.
A pedestrian and bike bypass would allow bike riders safe access to and from Seven Lakes Drive and a straight, leisurely ride to Sloatsburg at Route 17. From the nearby Silver Mind Ski Center, Sloatsburg is an approximate 13 mile downhill ride through Harriman State Park.
The Change.org bypass petition’s goal is 5,000 signatures but the advocacy has already had an impact by demonstrating a real public interest in the Harriman State Park specific issue.
Diamond’s effort not only set up a petition that reflected public opinion on Change.org but he alo sent notice of the issue to NYS Senator David Carlucci’s (38th District). Sen. Carlucci responded in a letter to New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Paul Karas in support of “constructing either a path or a bridge that wouldconnect Harriman and Bear Mountain State Parks for cyclists.”
Writing that thousands of cyclists and hikers visit Rockland County every year, Carlucci expressed that Executive Director of the Palisades Interstate Park Commission Jim Hall has submitted plans for such a path to the Department of Transportation. Carlucci also noted that his office also sent a previous letter to “Commissioner Rose Harvey of the Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation supporting the exploration of either an expanded shoulder or a new trail in the area to better increase motor and cyclist safety and enhance visitor experience.”
Carlucci’s letter states that the Palisades Interstate Park Commission, in partnership with the NY Office of Parks, Recreations, and Historic Preservation, has submitted a grant request to build a new trail that would bypass the Palisades Parkway and connect Seven Lakes Drive in both Harriman and Bear
Mountain Parks.
Diamond’s hiker biker bypass campaign works well with Sloatsburg’s overall initiative to promote the Route 17 corridor of Suffern and Sloatsburg (through Tuxedo) as western Rockland County’s trail town corridor. Seven Lakes Drive is the main entry into Harriman State Park, providing Sloatsburg with an important position as western Rockland County’s gateway to Harriman. Sloatsburg is successfully leveraging the expansive surrounding park, most significantly to promote economic development and community life — a sort of trails, rails and restaurants campaign.
