Gateway National Recreation Area Transportation, Access & cIRCULATION at
Jamaica Bay uNIT

**[Overview]{.underline}**

Established in 1916, the National Park Service (NPS) is known the world
over for stewardship of important natural and cultural areas and for
offering outstanding opportunities for people to visit and enjoy those
special places. When Gateway National Recreation Area (Gateway NRA) was
added to the National Park System in 1972, the action was heralded as a
breakthrough in expanding the national park concept. Located in the
heart of urban America, Gateway NRA brought programs to millions of
Americans who might otherwise never experience a national park, many of
which were poor or new immigrants.

Gateway NRA encompasses more than 26,000 acres in New York and New
Jersey and attracts more than 9 million visits a year---making it the
fifth most visited national park in the United States. The park is
organized into three administrative units based on their geographic
locations around New York City's Outer Harbor. The Sandy Hook Unit\--in
Monmouth County, New Jersey\--is located on the western side of the
Outer Harbor; the Staten Island Unit\--which stretches between Raritan
Bay and the Verrazano Narrows\--is positioned at the northern end of the
Outer Harbor; and the Jamaica Bay Unit---located in the boroughs of
Brooklyn and Queens---is on the eastern side of the Outer Harbor.

The Jamaica Bay Unit (Figure 1) includes most of the lands and waters
south of the Belt Parkway, west of Kennedy International Airport, and
east of Sheepshead Bay and is bound by the Atlantic Ocean on the south.
Well known sites contained within the park include: Floyd Bennett Field,
Jacob Riis Park, Fort Tilden, Canarsie Pier, Jamaica Bay, and the Breezy
Point Tip. Tours and ranger-led talks about the park's significant
natural and historical features are available throughout the year. Other
visitor activities include ocean swimming, nature walks, sailing,
bicycling, bird watching, gardening, camping, astronomy and fishing. The
park also hosts a wide range of team sports, cultural activities, and
ethnic festivals.

The park's General Management Plan (GMP), and other defining documents,
prescribes means of managing and using existing facilities and resources
within the park to obtain the maximum recreational and educational
benefits, while continuing to protect the park's existing resources.
These opportunities are to be done in a high-quality, affordable manner
that allows for innovation and experimentation in design and programming
for the cultural and ethnic diversity of the region.

Recognizing that access to and circulation within the park are vital
factors in the success of the Jamaica Bay Unit; the NPS will work with
its partners to ensure that transportation improvements compliment
proposed improvements. The unit already provides a dynamic array of
unique natural, historical, and recreational opportunities for its
visitors. Jamaica Bay is comprised of beaches, park area, playgrounds,
sports fields, gardening plots, bicycling, trails for walking or
jogging, and fishing spots to name a few. In addition to these
amenities, the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge is the only refuge in the
nation located within a national park, providing habitat for the
extraordinary bird population, as well as a retreat for visitors.
Furthermore, the unit's cultural and historic resources, including the
20^th^ century military installations at Fort Tilden and Floyd Bennett
Field, preserve the history of the region and nation, and provide a vast
array of visitor opportunities.

**[Future Plans]{.underline}**

Primary objectives in development of the Jamaica Bay Unit include:
appropriate use of historic resources, expanding visitor opportunities,
improving operational efficiency, reducing operating costs, and
enhancing the site's image as a national park. An important aspect of
these objectives is that the park should complement not only the NPS but
also New York City and adjacent neighborhoods. Locations where
development is currently being emphasized include: Floyd Bennett Field,
Jacob Riis Park, Riis Landing, Fort Tilden, and several park sites
adjacent to the Belt Parkway. Opportunities for funding improvements in
these areas range from federal, state, and local appropriations to
investments by park partners, concessionaires and private leaseholders.
In all cases, long-term development depends upon functional utility
systems, safe and affordable access to the park, and a well-conceived
circulation system within the park. These studies will develop
alternatives for means of developing and improving circulation within
the park.

One location that exemplifies this development strategy is Riis Landing,
(Figure 2) the former Coast Guard Station at the south end of the Gill
Hodges Memorial Bridge. Riis Landing is currently used by local
residents for fishing, as a port for marine law enforcement, and as a
dock for occasional ferryboat operation. The NPS plans to develop the
site as a hub for regular ferryboat service to the Rockaway Peninsula
and, potentially, as a center for new visitor services. Development of
Riis Landing as a transportation hub complements much needed
improvements at nearby Fort Tilden and Jacob Riis Park (Figure 3).
Proposed studies include rehabilitation of facilities, landscape
restoration, and development of new visitor activity areas. Leases,
concession offerings and new partnerships are likely to be part of the
implementation strategy.

Two other locations that are scheduled for new development are Floyd
Bennett Field (Figure 4) and the former landfill sites at Pennsylvania
Avenue and Fountain Avenue (Figure 5). Floyd Bennett Field already
offers a wide array of opportunities to visitors to engage in
educational, stewardship and recreational activities. A noteworthy
project that will significantly increase visitation to Field is a
concession initiative that will preserve four historic hangars by
adaptively using them for year-round ice hockey. On the other hand, the
former landfills are being capped and landscaped to create new visitor
opportunities of a more passive nature.

In anticipation of these developments, the NPS is proposing several
studies that would enhance transportation and circulation within the
Jamaica Bay Unit of Gateway NRA. These studies are not designed to
reexamine discussions or decisions on end uses at these sites, but
rather focus on providing safe and efficient access and circulation. At
Riis Landing, the study will focus on connections with Rockaway Point
Boulevard, parking to support ferry transportation, and internal
circulation. At Jacob Riis Park, the study will focus on access to the
beach complex for traffic going west on Beach Channel Drive. At Floyd
Bennett Field, the study will concentrate on access points off of
Flatbush Avenue and on improved internal circulation between Flatbush
and the bayside of the Field. Finally, at the former landfills, the
study will address access from the Belt Parkway and limited internal
circulation. By addressing these issues now, the NPS can ensure that
traffic to, from, and within the Jamaica Bay Unit will complement
development of the park without adversely impacting adjacent
neighborhoods, natural resources, or significant historic resources.

All of these sites have received a great deal of public attention as a
result of previous planning and development activity. Earlier projects
all benefited from input provided by neighbors, partners, other
agencies, visitors, elected officials and interested citizens. Now, as
the NPS begins planning for new transportation enhancements in the
Jamaica Bay Unit, the agency asks again for ideas and suggestions,
information, and concerns upon which to build these studies.

Figure 1

study Process

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), along with internal NPS
and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) guidance on NEPA, has created
a structured process which this study must follow. During the **data
collection** phase, the study team has collected, and continues to
collect and compile data on existing conditions. This information has
allowed the team to move to the **agency/public scoping** phase. At this
time, the study team seeks to share its information on the study areas
and solicit input on resource concerns and alternative development. With
this information, the study team can enter into the **alternatives
development** phase of the study. During this process, the study team
uses the collected data and public comments to develop realistic
alternatives. Agencies and the public are included in this process
through updates and meetings to present alternatives and solicit input
on them. Once the alternatives have been developed, an **impact
analysis** is preformed to determine the beneficial and adverse affects
of the proposed alternatives. This information is shared with the public
through and Environmental Assessment (EA) which is released for **public
review** and comment. The study team anticipates the release of the EA
in the fall of 2005. Upon completion of the public review period, a
**decision document** is drafted and signed by the agencies that are
carrying out the study, the NPS and FHWA. As long as no major impacts
have been identified in the EA, a Finding Of No Significant Impact
(FONSI) can be signed. This signature indicated that the **compliance is
complete** for the study. The study team anticipates this will occur
early in 2006.

Throughout the process, the NPS and FHWA will seek to involve the public
in the study development. Early involvement includes an agency
coordination meeting to be held on March 23, 2005 and a pair of public
meetings to be held on April 6 and 7, 2005. Additional updates will be
posted on the Gateway NRA web site to announce study development as well
as future meetings. Scoping comments can be submitted at these meetings
or at any other time. Comments should be directed to:

Mark Colburn Kevin Rose

Gateway National Recreation Area Federal Highway Administration

Building 69 or Eastern Federal Lands Highway Division

Floyd Bennett Field 21400 Ridgetop Circle

Brooklyn, NY 11234 Sterling, VA 20166

<Mark_Colburn@nps.gov> <Kevin.Rose@fhwa.dot.gov>

[www.nps.gov/gate](http://www.nps.gov/gate)
[www.efl.fhwa.dot.gov](http://www.efl.fhwa.dot.gov/)

Please note that names and addresses of people who comment become part
of the public record. If you wish for us to withhold your name and/or
address, you must state this prominently at the beginning of your
comment. We will make all submissions from organizations, businesses,
and individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials
of organizations or businesses available for public inspection in their
entirety.

For updated information on the study, please visit the project web site
at: <http://www.efl.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/gateway_studies/>

***insert park graphic***

insert graphic

Riis Landing

Riis Landing is located on the south side of Rockaway Inlet, adjacent to
Rockaway Point Boulevard. The site consists of the former Rockaway Coast
Guard Station and---to the west\--the old park maintenance yard that was
originally part of Fort Tilden. In recent years, the NPS has improved
the boat basin and developed a 100-car parking lot in the maintenance
yard. This work was the first step in plans to develop the site as a
terminal for regular ferry service between Rockaway and Manhattan or to
develop water-based transportation connections with other NPS locations
around New York Harbor. Studies have suggested that any potential ferry
operation would probably use 149-passenger boats. Related uses under
consideration for the site include public restrooms, a visitor contact
station, a bed and breakfast, operational support for marine law
enforcement, support for marine research, continued maintenance
operations, and administrative areas for NPS staff and their partners.

Riis Landing is not large enough to accommodate vehicular parking for
all regular ferry passengers, nor does the site have enough room to
support parking for all of the expected future uses. Furthermore, there
is currently no means of closing the site to recreational users while
allowing it to remain open to NPS staff or other business users. Any
development package would require improved street access, clear internal
circulation, and additional off-site parking. Accordingly, the proposed
study will consider a number of options for each of these concerns. For
example, off-site parking might be addressed by seasonal use of existing
lots in Fort Tilden, use of a portion of the Jacob Riis parking lot, or
building entirely new lots within Fort Tilden. While some of these lots
may provide the necessary capacity, they are also too distant from the
ferry terminal to be desirable for pedestrians, whether commuters or
park visitors. In order to bring a sufficiently sized shuttle or bus
onto the site, access and circulation within the site must be improved.
This could include creating a one-way circuit through the site and
providing a safe area for pick-up and drop-off of passengers, while
still sustaining a minimum amount of parking. In spite of increased
traffic, security measures must be maintained over the adjacent boat
basin to ensure that unauthorized personnel do not enter the area. The
study will seek to identify the most effective and reasonable means of
accomplishing these objectives.

Planning Issues

**Access and Parking** -- The Riis Landing site is relatively small and
can only support a limited amount of parking. Based on current and
proposed use of the site, as well as surrounding land uses, it is not
realistic to expect that all necessary parking can be accommodated
within the site. Therefore, alternative parking locations must be
identified along with means of transporting ferry passengers between
these parking areas and the dock.

**Historic Resources** -- The site includes remnants of military
facilities associated with Fort Tilden as well as a historic Coast Guard
complex that may be eligible for listing on the National Register of
Historic Places. Changes to the site will require consultation with the
New York State Historic Preservation Office in accordance with laws,
regulations and policy effecting cultural resources.

**Safety** -- Plans for additional vehicles and people to enter and
circulate through the site must consider access points and circulation
schemes that will minimize adverse impacts to traffic on Rockaway Point
Boulevard or toward the Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge, Roxbury, the Breezy
Point Co-op or Fort Tilden.

**Security** -- In addition to these safety concerns, the site will
continue to support water-based law enforcement activities in the
future. Law-enforcement boats are currently stored in the boat basin
that is secured with a metal gate and fence. Future development must
recognize the need for law enforcement officers to have access to the
site, and to keep their boats and equipment separate from the public.

**Concession Operations & Leasing** -- A number of visitor services
within the Jamaica Bay Unit are operated through concession contracts.
Newly legislated authorities also give the park a leasing option. Since
some of the proposed functions at Riis Landing could be handled as
either a concession or a lease, plans for transportation enhancement of
the site should incorporate considerations that will support either of
development strategy.

**Regional Transportation** --Because the Jamaica Bay Unit is situated
on the perimeter of the New York metropolitan area, it is subject to the
potential of both high traffic volumes and mass transportation. At the
same time, the park is surrounded by open space and relatively
low-density development that is highly valued by residents and visitors
alike. As Gateway NRA strives to be a good neighbor, this study will not
only seek to improve access and circulation within the park, but within
the surrounding community as well.

INSERT SITE PHOTO

Jacob Riis Park

Another location included in the study is Jacob Riis Park. This historic
oceanside park has a great history dating back to the 1930s when it was
designed to handle vast numbers of visitors many of whom used the
adjacent 9,000 car parking lot. The surrounding road network was also
designed in the 1930s and has had relatively few changes to its overall
layout over the years. One of the assumptions made by planners 75 years
ago is that all westbound traffic to Jacob Riis Park should access the
site by way of Rockaway Beach Boulevard---a route that cuts through a
number of established residential neighborhoods. In order to accommodate
more visitors from Queens and Long Island without disruption of these
neighborhoods, the NPS is seeking a way for westbound traffic to access
Jacob Riis Park off of Beach Channel Drive.

Planning Issues

**Historic Resources** -- Jacob Riis Park is a 220-acre historic
district listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Based on
the age of the surrounding road network, its connection to the
development of the park, and its association with legendary parks
commissioner Robert Moses, much of the roadway around Jacob Riis Park
may also be eligible for listing on the National Register. Therefore,
proposals for modification to the circulation pattern outside of or
within the park should be consistent with the Secretary of Interior's
Standards for Historic Preservation and should include consultation with
the New York State Historic Preservation Office in accordance with laws,
regulations and policy effecting cultural resources.

**Local Neighborhoods** -- As an urban park, much of Gateway NRA is
immediately adjacent to developed property controlled by private
interests or other government agencies. In the case of Jacob Riis Park,
the Neponsit neighborhood is located directly to the east of the park
and westbound traffic heading toward Jacob Riis Park must pass through
this neighborhood. The proposed study will seek a way to reduce traffic
through this community by using a less intrusive roadway that follows an
alignment along the northern edge of the neighborhood.

**Local Transportation** --Because the Jacob Riis Park is situated on
the Rockaway Peninsula between the two arterial roads that service this
area, it is subject to high traffic volumes. At the same time, the park
is accessible by city owned and operated bus service and (potentially) a
new ferry service. While this study is closely associated with efforts
to increase park visitation, all options must seek to minimize impacts
on local traffic patterns and to support increased use of public
transit.

**Land Ownership** -- Although the NPS owns much of the land surrounding
Jacob Riis Park, it does not own the roads or associated right of ways.
Therefore, any alternatives that propose physical changes to the
surrounding road network will require coordination with the New York
City Department of Transportation and other interested parties.

INSERT SITE PHOTO

Floyd Bennett Field

Floyd Bennett Field is located on Flatbush Avenue just south of the Belt
Parkway. The Field was the city's first municipal airport and later
functioned as an important Naval Air Station during World War II. This
nationally significant heritage is clearly visible in the runways,
airplane hangars and control tower building that make up the core of the
Field's historic district. The site is currently home to a wide variety
of NPS activities, as well as the New York City Department of
Sanitation, the New York City Board of Education, the New York City
Police Department, and the U.S Armed Services Reserve Center (Marine
Corps).

The Field contains a number of areas that are managed primarily for
their value as wildlife habitat. Visitors can enjoy a variety of
recreational, educational and cultural activities that complement the
historic and natural value of Floyd Bennett Field. The site currently
hosts camping, bird watching, flying of radio-controlled model
airplanes, gardening, nature hikes, environmental education programs,
airplane restoration, bicycling, jogging, fishing, and astronomy. All of
these activities bring a large influx of regular visitors to the park.
At the north end of Hangar Row, hangars 3 and 4 are currently being
developed as a sports complex featuring ice hockey and other sports that
will operate on a year-round basis, with hours of operation extending
passed those of the NPS sites.

Although there have historically been several entrances to this large
site, only the south entrance is currently open. Because visitors, park
staff and park tenants all use this one entrance, the Field is subject
to periods of high traffic volume which detracts from its primary
purpose, creates functional conflicts and results in potentially unsafe
conditions for visitors and wildlife. In an effort to separate visitor
use from other traffic and to accommodate increased park use due to the
new sports complex, one of the transportation studies will explore ways
to improve access to and circulation within Floyd Bennett Field while
reinforcing its function as a national park.

Planning Issues

**Regional Transportation** -- Floyd Bennett Field is situated along
Flatbush Avenue, a major transportation artery connecting Brooklyn with
the Rockaway Peninsula. Congestion and other traffic problems already
occur on Flatbush and every effort must be made to minimize the impact
of increased park use on circulation outside the park.

**Safety**-- A numbers of safety concerns already exist at the
intersection of Flatbush Avenue and the south entrance to Floyd Bennett
Field. Once on site, additional safety issues exist as park visitors
encounter traffic associated with other site users. This has been
particularly problematic in the southeast quadrant of the Field where
vehicles from the Armed Services Reserve Center (Marine Corps) and the
New York City Police Department must pass through an area devoted
primarily to educational purposes.

**Security** --Two resident tenants\--the New York City Police
Department and an Armed Services Reserve Center (Marine Corps)---both
require higher levels of security than the rest of the Field. New access
routes or circulation proposals should be identified that would allow
these agencies to safely reach their destinations without disruption of
the park. Additional security concerns exist around the new sports
complex at the north end of Hangar Row. This complex is expected to
operate nearly 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, while the rest of the
Field is closed to most other public use. The proposed study should seek
to find ways to provide access to the complex without opening the
remainder of the Field.

**Historic Resources** -- Floyd Bennett Field's connections to early
commercial aviation and U.S. military operations during WW-II, have led
to its listing as a historic district on the National Register of
Historic Places. Portions of the site are so unique, that they are
currently being considered for National Landmark status. Proposals for
modification to the circulation pattern outside of or within the park
should be consistent with the Secretary of Interior's Standards for
Historic Preservation and should include consultation with the New York
State Historic Preservation Office in accordance with laws, regulations
and policy effecting cultural resources.

**Natural Resources** -- Although the Jamaica Bay Unit is located in a
heavily urbanized area, the park contains large tracts that have been
set aside primarily for their value as natural areas. For example,
within Floyd Bennett Field, the NPS has identified the areas between the
runways as a Grassland Management Area and the "North 40" as an upland
marine habitat. These natural areas are important for both native and
migratory species. The proposed study should seek to avoid adverse
impacts to these areas.

**INSERT SITE PHOTO**

Former Pennsylvania Avenue and Fountain Avenue Landfills

The former landfills at Pennsylvania and Fountain Avenues are located on
the south side of the Belt Parkway, within the jurisdictional boundary
established for Gateway National Recreation Area. Plans for the two
sites include extensive plantings with native species as well as
development of hiking trails, observation stations, a fishing pier,
educational facilities, and passive recreation areas. This approach will
allow the NPS to use more of the land within its boundary for visitor
uses, while creating new natural habitats and a protective buffer for
Jamaica Bay. An agreement with New York City and New York State allowed
for transfer of the sites to the NPS as park lands once closure of the
landfills is completed.

Before the two sites can be opened, the NPS must develop safe and
efficient access to the two areas. The Pennsylvania Avenue Landfill site
is relatively easy to access by automobile, as the Belt Parkway overpass
already leads to the site. The Fountain Avenue Landfill site, however,
is not as easily reached and will require use of local roads and
underpasses accessed on the north side of the parkway. Once access to
the former landfills has been addressed, the proposed study will
describe internal vehicle circulation, parking, and the location of a
visitor contact station---all of which must be placed over stable areas
on the perimeter or the former landfill operation or between the cells
of capped refuse. Pedestrian and bicycle access are important
considerations, as a multi-use path already provides easy access to the
sites from nearby residential communities.

Access to these sites must be designed in such a way that the sites can
be secured when they are not open to visitation. Since the cap on both
landfills must not be compromised, public access to the sites will be
restricted to times when NPS personnel are on site. Therefore, both
sites must be able to be gated and fenced to allow full closure. When
the sites are open, the entranceway must incorporate a way to deter
off-road vehicles and bicycles from leaving the paved portions of the
circulation system. As is the case in the other proposed projects, the
local and regional roads that will be utilized in this study are not NPS
property, and the NPS and FHWA will work with their partners and other
interested parties to develop the best alternative for this study.

Planning Issues

**Local Transportation** -- The former landfills sit along the south
side of the Belt Parkway, an important element in connecting Long Island
to Brooklyn, Queens, and the rest of New York City. At present, access
to the sites would have to be made by way of local roads that already
support traffic to the Gateway shopping mall and adjacent residential
communities. The proposed study must recognize the existing
transportation network and seek to incorporate public access to the new
sites without adversely impacting existing traffic flow.

**Safety** -- Visitation to both sites is expected to be moderate.
Access will be by foot, bicycle and private automobile and come from the
surrounding neighborhoods as well as the rest of the city. The proposed
study must find ways of internalizing this traffic within the site
without creating hazards to visitors or others traveling through the
area.

**Security** -- Although the landfills are capped and landscaped, there
is still a possibility that the integrity of the cap could be
compromised. For this reason, the site will be developed for passive
recreational activities and educational programs. The proposed study
area is limited to the stable, previously disturbed areas that are not
part of the capped former landfills. However, proposed alternatives
should consider physical means of barring off-road vehicles, mountain
bicycles, or other equipment from the site. Alternatives should also
design means of completely restricting access to the sites during off
hours. The two landfills are currently fenced; however creation of new
access points will require additional security.

**Site Planning** -- While much of the area included in the landfill
boundary was used for waste disposal, a small portion of each site was
left for administrative uses. These areas have been left out of the
capping process and can support more development. Therefore, the
development of entranceways, parking, and visitor contact facilities
must be designed to fit in this area.

**Interagency Coordination --** As is the case at the other sites, the
surrounding area and roadways are not owned by the NPS. This is
especially true at the former landfill sites where the two sites are
abutted by a New York City right of way. Careful coordination will be
required to successfully develop these studies.