Construction starts on bike path guiderail

Construction of a guiderail that will run along the Wantagh State Parkway bike path began May 20, a New York State Department of Transportation spokeswoman said.

The permanent cable guiderail will be installed by ANJAC Enterprises, which entered into a $635,000 contract with the state in March. The cable will run along the four-mile path that runs from Cedar Creek Park in Wantagh to Jones Beach and is expected to be completed in early June.

Thousands of local residents, many from Merrick-Bellmore, signed petitions calling for a guiderail last summer after a motorcycle fatally struck 19-year-old Matthew Scarpati of Dix Hills as he stopped on the path to fix a flat tire on his bicycle on July 20.

“This bicycle path is used by thousands of visitors on any given day, especially in the summer when families, bicyclists, walkers and joggers visit our magnificent beaches and natural areas," Gov. David Paterson said. “The guiderail will add an extra measure of protection between the path and the roadway, so that people can feel more confident as they travel to and enjoy this heavily used scenic treasure.”

The right northbound travel lane of the Wantagh State Parkway was permanently shut down last September and a rumble strip was installed to slow traffic near the path and increase space between cyclists and motorists.

Gina Russo, owner and operator of the website LIFun4Kids.com, started a movement to get a guiderail installed on the bike path after she visited it for the first time with her two young children last February.

"It's a great feeling that after all the hard work I did, it finally comes to fruition," said Russo, who organized a petition for the guiderail and created a Facebook group called “Guard Rail for Wantagh Parkway Bike Path," which attracted more than 2,000 members. "It's going to make the bike path a lot safer."

Russo said she hopes to organize a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new guiderail on June 6 that would coincide with a charity bike ride she is organizing called Miles for Matt.