What's happening
This bill requires New York's parks office to create and regularly update a comprehensive statewide plan for non-motorized multi-use trails.
Why it matters
The bill establishes a formal process for public input and transparency. , requiring a public comment period and at least one public hearing before the statewide trail plan is finalized—giving New Yorkers a direct voice in the design and priorities of the trail network.
It mandates interagency collaboration. , requiring the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation to work closely and regularly with the Departments of Environmental Conservation, Health, and Transportation—potentially leading to more cohesive, well-integrated trail planning that factors in health, environment, and transportation infrastructure.
The plan must identify trail opportunities across a wide range of corridor types. (including abandoned railways, underutilized roads, utility corridors, and natural features), which could repurpose neglected infrastructure, expand access to recreation, and connect more communities.
By requiring regular updates and detailed recommendations for funding, design, and marketing. , the legislation aims to ensure the trail system remains current, accessible, and well-maintained—maximizing the benefits for tourism, public health, and local economies.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Plan Statewide Trails Network
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 7
2 Co-sponsors
History
- Signed chap.516
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.591
- Substituted for A5035B
- Referred to ways and means
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 62–0
- Amended on third reading (t) 4416b
- Ordered to third reading cal.1187
- Committee discharged and committed to rules
Show 4 earlier actions
- Reported and committed to finance
- Print number 4416a
- Amend (t) and recommit to corporations, authorities and commissions
- Referred to corporations, authorities and commissions
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Plan Multi-Use Trails Statewide
Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor Patricia Fahy
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4416--B Cal. No. 1187
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
March 11, 2019
Introduced by Sens. KAPLAN, SERRANO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee -reported favorably from said committee and committed to the Committee on Finance -- committee discharged and said bill committed to the Committee on Rules -- ordered to a third reading, amended and ordered reprinted, retaining its place in the order of third reading
AN ACT to require the office of parks, recreation and historic preservation to create a plan regarding non-motorized multi-use trails
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. (a) For the purposes of this act, the term "non-motorized multi-use trail" shall mean an off-street linear facility for recreation and transportation, paved or unpaved, designated to serve multiple types of non-motorized users, including, but not limited to, bicyclists, pedestrians, in-line skaters, joggers, cross-country skiers or equestrians.
(b) The office of parks, recreation and historic preservation, or for purposes of this act, the "office", shall create a plan for a comprehensive statewide system of non-motorized multi-use trails consisting of a network of non-motorized primary corridors linked to and enhanced by regional and local non-motorized multi-use trails. The draft plan shall be completed one year after this act becomes a law. The office shall consult concurrently with representatives from the department of environmental conservation, the department of health and the department of transportation to create such plan. A representative of each agency shall be appointed by the commissioner of their respective agency. The office shall meet with the representatives of such agencies at least quarterly. There shall be a sixty-day public comment period on such draft plan and there shall be at least one public hearing on the draft
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09167-05-9
S. 4416--B 2
plan during such sixty-day public comment period. The final plan shall be completed and adopted one hundred eighty days after submission of the draft plan. The plan shall be updated no less than every five years. Such plan shall include five major components:
(i) A vision for a statewide network of non-motorized primary corridors linked to and enhanced by regional and local non-motorized multiuse trails, which will include trail uses to be addressed in the plan; goals for geographic distribution; goals for universal accessibility; and general goals for new trail acquisition and development.
(ii) A Geographic Information System (GIS) inventory of existing nonmotorized multi-use trails across the state, as well as planned non-motorized multi-use trails, or undeveloped corridors under consideration for future non-motorized multi-use trails.
(iii) Identification of new non-motorized multi-use trail opportunities including, but not limited to, transportation (rail, canal, trolley) corridors - existing, abandoned or under consideration to be abandoned; under-utilized or closed roads; utility corridors and natural corridors such as waterways and waterfronts.
(iv) A comprehensive set of non-motorized multi-use trail recommendations, including but not limited to acquisition and development priorities; guidelines for design and maintenance of different "tier" (primary, regional, local) non-motorized multi-use trails; guidelines for wayfinding, marketing and interpretive signs and informational resources, such as statewide and regional maps of existing non-motorized multi-use trails, to promote the use of such trails and their coordination with other tourism opportunities in New York state.
(v) Recommendations for funding the acquisition, construction, maintenance, and promotion of non-motorized multi-use trails as well as implementation.
(c) The department of environmental conservation, the department of health, the department of transportation and any other state agencies, departments, public authorities or programs with relevant expertise or resources shall provide the office with such facilities, assistance, and data as will enable the office to carry out its powers and duties. The office will have primary responsibility for implementation of the plan created pursuant to the provisions of this act, provided the costs of implementation have been appropriated or identified by the commissioner of the office.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to require the office of parks, recreation and historic preservation to create a plan regarding non-motorized multi-use trails
Purpose or general idea of bill
This legislation would require OPRHP to create a plan regarding non-mo- torized multi use trails.
Summary of provisions
Section 1: The Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation shall create a plan for a comprehensive statewide system of non-motor- ized multi-use trails within one year of the effective date. Parks shall consult with DEC, DOH and DOT to create such plan. These individ- uals shall meet quarterly. This section requires a 60 day public comment period and at a minimum one public hearing on the draft plan during that time. The plan shall be updated at a minimum every five years.
Specifically the plan shall include a vision for a statewide network of non-motorized primary corridors linked to and enhanced by regional and local non-motorized trails with goals for geographic distribution, and universal accessibility. Also requires a geographic information system inventory of existing non-motorized multi-use trails, as well as planned trails or undeveloped corridors under consideration. The plan shall identify new non-motorized multi-use trail opportunities, as well as recommend funding. Section 2 is the effective date.
Justification
Non-Motorized multi-use trails have been observed to have an important economic impact on the communities around them, with the Erie Canalway Trail alone having an estimated impact of $253 million in sales, 3,440 jobs, $78 million in labor income, and $28.5 million in tax revenue. This effect stands to be multiplied in New York State, with the impend- ing construction of the new Empire State Trail. Additionally, New York has more than 1,000 miles of regional and local trails networks found all across the state. While these trails enhance their communities, their economic impact is stymied by a lack of long term planning.
In order to advance trail development to their full potential, and maxi- mize the various benefits of trails, New York needs a coordinated strat- egy for linking existing and potential individual trail corridors to create a statewide, interconnected system. With thousands of miles of scenic rivers and streams, lakeshores, canals, historic roadways, and abandoned railroad corridors, plus hundreds of a appealing cities, towns and villages, opportunities to create additional trails and connections between existing trails abound in every region of the state.
A plan to build out the connectivity of regional trail networks will enhance the economic impact of existing trails and the new Empire State Trail and will create more opportunities for outdoor recreation, tourism and health benefits in every corner of New York.
Prior legislative history
None
Fiscal implications for state and local governments
To be determined
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.