HEMPSTEAD - Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate Murray, Councilman Gary Hudes and Councilwoman Angie Cullin have criticized a state Department of Transportation plan to extend a bike path along the Wantagh Parkway while “deadly conditions” remain unresolved along the existing stretch of the Wantagh Parkway bicycle path.

The officials called on the state DOT commissioner to shelve the expansion plans and install a protecting guardrail along the existing trail for cyclists before extending the path and potentially increasing the number of bike riders traversing unsafe territory.

The current path runs 4.5 miles from Jones Beach State Park to Cedar Creek Park on the Wantagh/Seaford border.

"It is outrageous that the state Department of Transportation would allow a trail of death and injury to remain unaddressed," said Murray. "What's more troubling is the fact that state officials want to extend this dangerous trail and expose more cyclists to hazardous conditions without making the existing bike path safe for use."

State officials have informed the town that they are considering an extension of the existing bicycle path, proceeding north from Cedar Creek Park, along the Wantagh Parkway and continuing along Salisbury Park Drive in Westbury, eventually leading to Eisenhower Park. In fact, the plans for extending the project contemplates having bicyclists walk across Sunrise Highway and Merrick Road at their intersection with Wantagh Parkway.

The town officials urged the state to utilize any funding allocated for the bike path extension and immediately make the existing trail safe for bicyclists. The officials indicated that a guardrail was needed and alternative proposals for reflective roadway striping and "rumble strips" (roadway strips that would cause cars to vibrate if they get too close to the bike path) were not adequate substitutes for a guardrail.