Volume 3, Issue 10
The Trail Mix is the monthly newsletter of The Friends of the Greenway. We established this bulletin to keep the Friends and users of the Greenway current on some of the “goings- on” regarding our Trail and to dispense a mix of bits and bytes of flavorful information. Hopefully, The Trail Mix will help to enlighten, inform, and entertain our readers. The Friends of the our parent organization – The Three Village Community Trust.
Electric Bikes – Friend or Foe – Part II
Outdoor enthusiast Scott Stark wrote an interesting, and comprehensive, article titled Exploring America’s E-Bike Revolution for the publication titled Trail Use. Understanding that we will see more and more e-bikes on the Greenway in the very near future, we thought it would be valuable to share some of Scott Stark’s observations in the issue of The Trail Mix. This is the second part of a two part series based largely on Stark’s Exploring America’s E-Bike Revolution. (Certainly, this series will be of interest to users of the West Meadow Beach peninsula – e-bikes are coming there, too!)
We thank Scott Stark and the Rails to Trails Conservancy for permission to reprint parts of Exploring America’s E-Bike Revolution.
A question often asked is: Are e-bikes legal on trails? And more specifically – are they legal on the Greenway and the North Shore Rail Trail? The answers may surprise you!
You’ll quickly find there are a patchwork of rules defining what e-bikes are and where they can go. Caps on speed, limitations on certain types of e-bikes and outright bans of e-bikes are all part of today’s bike trails.
Take Palo Alto, California: Earlier this year, the city council voted to restrict e-bike usage on unpaved trails within the city’s nature preserves. The decision closed off much of the Baylands—a 1,940-acre area home to innumerable migratory shorebirds and other wildlife that’s considered one of the best bird-watching spots on the West Coast—to all cyclists who can’t pedal through the area entirely under their own power.
“I think the argument against [e-bikes] was essentially that they are presumed to go a certain speed and that traveling at that speed is potentially threatening to wildlife,” said Julie Lythcott-Haims, a city council member who voted against the ban. “I think there was also a sense that humans are also disturbed by e-bikes.”
But none of the given objections to e-bikes could convince her to vote in favor of the ban. Echoing a sentiment offered by other council members, she stated, “We should regulate the behavior, not the device. E-bikes have brought mobility to many, many residents and visitors who otherwise wouldn’t be able to be out there on the Baylands.”
A thousand miles away, Luke Svare also sees the effects of patchwork regulations. One of the state’s four trail coordinators for Colorado Parks and Wildlife, he said one of the biggest challenges with managing e-bike use is that “it’s hard for the user to know what the regulations are on this chunk of dirt that they’re on. Trail systems are connected from one jurisdiction to another, and you could travel from state land to county land to federal land and not know it. When you’re crossing those boundaries, the regulations could change drastically.”
Without consistent, unifying rules regarding e-bike usage, Svare suggests that riders familiarize themselves with the regulations in place before setting out.
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) has also grappled with how e-bikes are treated in relation to trail use and has created a comprehensive framework discussing their legal status at the state and national level. RTC’s vice president of policy, Kevin Mills, explained that by law, motorized vehicles are not allowed on many trails, so when e-bikes came along, “The question became, ‘Wait … is this motorized?’”
In the absence of guidance, Mills continued, “you’d have some trail managers determining, ‘Well, I guess there’s a little motor in there, so by definition it must be motorized, and you’d have others saying, ‘This looks and acts like a bicycle except that little battery pack—so what’s the problem?’”
It came down to a distinction between the letter of the law (e-bikes technically have a motor and are therefore motorized vehicles) and the spirit of the law (prohibiting noisy, larger, polluting, fast-moving internal combustion machines from multiuse trails).
In the end, said Mills, allowing lower-speed e-bikes, even on those trails that otherwise prohibit motorized vehicles, “seems legitimate; it’s not about the engineering—it’s about the actual policy goals of ensuring that trails are safe, healthy and pleasant for all users.”
Claire Martini is the project manager for the Leafline Trails Coalition of Washington State, where she works with multiple organizations to knit together the region’s 900 miles of trails into a cohesive, connected network. As one of the first states in the nation to codify e-bikes into the three-tier system, Washington saw an early boom in e-bikes—and with that, an opposition to them.
“We hear from people who are pushing back [against e-bikes],” said Martini. “Someone whizzes by them while they’re walking their dog, and it’s easy to automatically assume it was an e-bike.” But Martini pointed to data that suggests that’s not necessarily the case.
Seattle Parks and Recreation performed a study several years ago in which trail watchers were trained to accurately discern e-bikes from their non-electric brethren and provided with radar-based devices to measure the bikes’ speeds as they pedaled by. The result, said Martini, was that “there wasn’t actually a huge difference between the speeds that e-bike users [were] going and the speed that other users [were] going. I think there’s a bit of a misconception that because there’s an e-assist, it means that people are going to be going really fast—and that people going really fast are necessarily on e-bikes.”
So, What are the E-bike Rules for the Greenway, and the North Shore Rail to Trail?
Well, we reached out to the governing authorities of each bike way, and we learned:
The Setauket to Port Jefferson Greenway:
The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) currently does not restrict E-bikes from using its shared-use paths, but gas-powered mini-bikes and dirt bikes/off-road motorcycles are not allowed. You may be interested to know that the New York Bicycling Coalition (NYBC), in partnership with the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, has released a Pocket Guide for “Riding a Bicycle Safely in New York State” https://nybc.net/Shared/2023/NYBC_Pocket_Guide.pdf . This document includes a section regarding E-Bikes and E-Scooters.
If you have any further questions or need additional information, please feel free to contact the Regional Public Involvement Coordinator at (631)952-6929 or r10-rpic@dot.ny.gov.
The North Shore Rail to Trail:
“Thank you for contacting Legislator Anker’s office regarding the Rail Trail. This falls under the SC Dept. of Parks’ rules and regulations, which doesn’t allow motorized vehicles at all, including e-bikes. There are signs posted. The exclusion to this rule would disability/mobility vehicles, such as an electric wheelchair. Standard bicycles are welcome. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact me directly. Enjoy the Labor Day weekend and the North Shore Rail Trail!”
We told you at the start of this Trail Mix issue that there is a patchwork of rules governing e-bikes! As an editorial observation: E-bikes are revolutionizing the bicycling community. There has been an explosive growth of the ‘battery bicycle’ and it is likely to continue for years to come. Certainly, seniors, and those with handicaps, are a major part of the new ‘e-riders’ and they will want access to our trail networks. It seems that it will be difficult, and unpopular, to enforce any prohibition of electric bikes on our local trails.
Our September Cleanup
On Saturday, September 9th, we continued our cleanup efforts on the trail. The Port Jefferson Trailhead section has been our focus over the past several months, and we continued to transform the trailhead area into a beautiful meadow. No small feat considering that just three years ago the area had a mashup of broken tree limbs, debris, and litter. Thank you volunteers!!
And, Don’t Forget – Cycle NY is Coming Up in October
Stony Brookside CycleNY Long Island Ride Online Registration (bikereg.com)
If you didn’t catch it, the Three Village Times had a very interesting article in their paper recently:
Greenway Trail Stewards Put NYSDOT on Alert to Protect Box Turtles
By Raymond Janis- August 24, 2023
Through the years, there have been scattered reports of the Eastern box turtle, a native species to Long Island, seen along the Setauket-Port Jefferson Greenway Trail, particularly at a 1/8-mile strip adjacent to the Lawrence Aviation Superfund site.
Though not listed as an endangered species under the federal Endangered Species Act, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation considers the box turtle of “special concern,” a classification for native species that “warrants attention and consideration but current information, collected by the department, does not justify listing these species as either endangered or threatened.”
The New York State Department of Transportation, charged with mowing the Greenway three times per year, was alerted to the turtle presence earlier this summer by the Three Village Community Trust, the local organization supervising and stewarding the trail.
“We became aware that there were some turtles apparently in the area in and around the Lawrence Aviation site,” said Herb Mones, TVCT president. “As a result, we requested that the state, when it does its mowing program, not mow that section or that area.”
The Friends of the Greenway is a subsidiary of TVCT that works to maintain and upkeep the trail grounds. Charlie McAteer, the organization’s chair, held that the mowing operation does fulfill a public end, limiting tall grasses, which can often yield ticks.
“If the tall grass is right next to the paving, people worry about ticks as they go past,” McAteer said in an email. “So these few mowings do help with our human satisfaction.”
But, he added that the organization strives to keep “mowing to a minimum so meadow growth and places for turtles [and other wildlife] can flourish again and trail users can see and enjoy nature along the trail.”
Joshua Heller, public information specialist for NYSDOT, indicated that the department was made aware of the presence of turtles and halted mowing for the area in question.
“The New York State Department of Transportation prides itself on being good stewards of the environment,” Heller said in a statement. “We have received the Three Village Community Trust’s letter and are reviewing it. In the meantime, we have temporarily halted mowing operations in this area.”
A walk along the Greenway Tuesday, Aug. 22, painted a different picture.
Outside the Lawrence Aviation property, there was evidence of fresh mowing. However, there was no evidence of harm to wildlife observed during the walkthrough.
Presented the photos of the recent mowing activities, Mones expressed possible miscommunication.
“It’s unfortunate that the NYSDOT extended their mowing beyond the area we recommended to them,” the TVCT president said in an email. “In the past, the DOT has been responsive to our requests and recommendations. It’s obvious we’ll need to do more work to create a ‘protective zone’ in the future.”
NYSDOT did respond to a follow-up request for comment on the matter by clarifying that the recent mowing occurred prior to temporarily halting mowing in the area.
Possible solutions
A 2017 thesis paper by Margarete Walden explores the danger mowing activities pose to box turtles.
To mitigate the potential risk of turtle mortality due to mowing, Walden suggests conducting “mowing activities [from] November to March, so as to coincide with the period of turtle hibernation,” during which they live underground. It is, however, difficult to mow during these months when there is heavy snowfall.
McAteer pledged that the Friends of the Greenway “will work with NYSDOT to try to work on the mowing distance/guidelines” for routine mowings.
For Mones, wildlife conservation and trail maintenance are not mutually exclusive. Rather, he indicated that both efforts could serve the coinciding interests of trail users and wildlife.
“Our motto is, ‘Protecting the places we love,’” Mones said. “We are the stewards of the Greenway, but we also have the residual responsibility to protect the open space and advance environmental protection.”
Support the Greenway! Get Your Tickets, Today!!
Limited Ticket Availability
The Three Village Community Trust’s 19th Annual Fall Gala
Wednesday, November 15th at 7:00 pm at the Old Field Club.
Basket Raffles, Art Auction, Live Music, Light Buffet, and much, much more
The Annual Fall Gala of the Three Village Community Trust is its most important source of funding to “Protect the Places You Love.” As an all-volunteer and a not for profit organization, the Trust depends on the Gala to support its many projects throughout 2024. Every Trust site benefits by this event: Patriots Rock Historic Site, The Immigrant Factory Worker Houses, The Hawkins Homestead, the Smith/deZafra House, the Tyler House, The Setauket to Port Jefferson Station Greenway, the Steven D. Matthews Preserve and the Bruce House. Additionally, this event helps fund the Dr. Robert deZafra Acquisition Fund – helping the Trust to purchase additional historical properties in the future.
Our special guest for the evening is former Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn. For the past twelve years, Kara has served our community as one of the most respected and influential voices for the preservation of open space and public access to parkland. She spearheaded safeguarding our environment, advocating for victims of domestic violence and advancing consumer protection measures. A thoughtful, compassionate, and fearless public servant, Kara is now Long Island Deputy Director for State Parks.
Join us!
Tickets are $75 a person. Purchase tickets online at: threevillagecommunitytrust.org
Need more information? Call 631-689-0225
Our Special Friends
Keep in mind, these special friends of the Greenway who support our efforts throughout the year! Please consider giving them your business, and mention you saw them in The Trail Mix.
Shown above is Dave Prestia, owner/operator, of Bagel Express
Bagel Express at 15-5 Bennetts Road in Setauket. Owned and operated by David Prestia, Bagel Express generously donates the catering of our Trail Steward breakfasts. Delicious bagels, hot, steaming coffee – sooo good! For the third year in a row, The Trail Mix has voted Bagel Express #1 for breakfast and lunch, and all of your catering needs. Call 631-675-2770 or check website at Bagel Express – New York | View our menu, reviews & Order food online (bagelexpressli.com)
A Big Friend of the Trust is Swan Cove Landscaping. Swan Cove does a whole line of services – lawn maintenance, pruning, stone walls, firewood. Dave Fortuna, owner/operator, donates many, many of his services to the Trust. The result – our properties always look great! Thank you, Dave! Call 631-689-8089.
Emerald Magic Lawn Care’s horticultural consultant, Craig den Hartog has been providing flower bulbs for the Greenway over many years at “no cost.” We planted a big bulk of these bulbs at the kiosk on Gnarled Hollow Road, Setauket. Craig generosity is part of his beautification effort known as Old Town Blooms. And, Craig was a driving force behind the recent Great Daffodil Dash benefiting the Port Jefferson Station-Terryville community! Why not support Emerald Magic who supports us! Call 631-286-4600, 631-804-9205.
For your yard’s beautification look to Setauket Landscape and Design. Steve Antos can help you plan and design the unique surroundings to make your property the envy of your neighborhood. His company has helped us with many large and small projects on the Trust’s historic properties. Call 631-882-7190.
And lots of thanks to Bove Industries and Skyline Industries for their generous support of the Trust’s projects – they have been instrumental in our grounds restorations at the Smith/deZafra House! Bove Industries and Skyline Industries are leaders in producing materials for roads and construction products.
Randall Brothers Tree Service is always a big help and big hearted in helping the Trust! Call 631-862-9291. Marty is the Man!
Jos. M. Troffa Materials Corporation at 70 Comsewogue Road in Setauket is a very special friend. The company has every conceivable item to beautify your yard. Mulch – they got it. Grass seed – yes! Soil, gravel, shovel, – everything. Forget the big box stores – You gotta go to Troffa!
Editor in Chief – Herb Mones
