The Setauket to Port Jefferson Station Greenway

Volume 6, Issue 3 | March 2026

The Trail Mix is the monthly newsletter of The Friends of the Greenway. We established this bulletin to keep you 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 enlighten, inform, and entertain our readers.

The Friends of the Greenway is part of The Three Village Community Trust. The Trust was established more than twenty-two years ago to “Protect the Places You Love.” Support the Greenway by joining the Trust today! Visit: threevillagecommunitytrust.org

Keeping it Green(way) – Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

The Three Village Civic Association was recently updated about the ongoing issues facing our Greenway in relationship to the New York State Department of Transportation. Please read the recap of the meeting below and ….WRITE Assemblywoman Kassay!

Greetings neighbors,

Thank you to those who attended our Three Village Civic Association meeting on Monday, February 2nd. For those who may have missed it, we would like to share the recording of the meeting, accessed here.

While we discussed several updates, we have one urgent priority: Protecting the Setauket-Port Jefferson Station Greenway.

The Greenway is a community treasure, but its future as a “linear park” is not yet permanent.

Action Item: Permanent Protection for the Greenway

The Threat: The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) still technically views the Greenway land as a future highway bypass corridor.

The Goal: We are advocating to transfer the Greenway from the NYSDOT to Suffolk County Parks. This would preserve it as permanent parkland and remove the threat of future roadway construction once and for all.

The Rail Yard Connection: Moving the land to County Parks would also clear the “bureaucratic roadblocks” currently stalling the modernization and electrification of the LIRR Port Jefferson branch.

How You Can Help: Please email Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay at kassayr@nyassembly.gov.

• Let her know how much the Greenway means to you and urge her to support the permanent transfer of the trail to Suffolk County Parks. Community involvement is the only way to ensure our green spaces are protected for the next generation!

Also … Please Write to Support the Long Island Greenway!

Please Do it Today!!

The Trust for Public Lands continues to work towards the building of the Long Island Greenway. The Trail Mix has been following this project for several years.

As many of you know, in 2020, New York State opened the Empire State Trail, a continuous 750-mile multiuse trail that spans the state from Plattsburgh in the north and Buffalo in the west. Those trails connect in Albany, in the center of the state, and continue south to the Battery at the tip of Manhattan.

But it ends there! It leaves out more than 8 million New Yorkers who live on Long Island.

According to the Public Trust: A plan is in motion to change that by creating the Long Island Greenway, a new trail that will stretch east from Manhattan all the way to Montauk and link residents of Long Island (including Brooklyn and Queens) to the Empire State Trail. The Long Island Greenway is slated to run nearly 200 miles, connecting 90 communities within a 10-minute walk, and 26 existing parks in the process. The greenway will be 60 percent off-road, offering a refreshing way to travel between these communities—or all the way out of the city for those seeking a longer adventure.

The Long Island Greenway will be developed in five sections:

Section 1: Eisenhower Park to Brentwood State Park, 25 miles


Section 2: South Fork, Riverhead to Montauk, 50 miles


Section 3: Riverhead to Brentwood, 40 miles


Section 4: Riverhead to Orient Point, 35 miles


Section 5: Manhattan Connection, 38 miles

With ongoing community outreach and support throughout each section development, construction of the trail’s first 25 miles will begin in 2026.

With that said, you’re help is needed. Danny Gold, the point person for the Long Island Greenway, needs you to send a support letter to let the Governor and a key legislator.

Please add your name to the attached support letter (feel free to personalize it) and send it to:
ramosp@nyassembly.gov

thalia.olaya@ny.gov (Governor’s office) And cc:danny.gold@tpl.org

Here’s the letter:

Dear Ms. Olaya and Assemblyman Ramos:

For me, the Long Island Greenway project starts with safety. On Long Island, car crashes are one of the leading causes of death for children, and too many families feel they have no safe place for kids to bike or walk without being next to fast-moving traffic. We urgently need safe, off-road paths where children can ride a bike, families can walk together, and commuters can travel without putting their lives at risk.

The Long Island Greenway would provide a safe, trusted route for people commuting to work, a place where parents can teach their kids to ride a bike, and a space where communities across the Island can connect. It’s not just a trail—it’s infrastructure that saves lives, improves public health, and gives people real alternatives to driving.

I’m especially encouraged by the County’s leadership on this project and excited that the first phase of the Long Island Greenway is slated to begin construction this year. That progress shows what’s possible when the State, County, and local partners work together to deliver real, visible improvements for residents.

For me personally, the Greenway matters because [add one sentence here: where you live, how you’d use it, or who in your family would benefit].

More than 3 million New Yorkers live on Long Island. We deserve modern, safe, and accessible infrastructure that reflects how people actually want to live—healthier, more connected, and less dependent on dangerous roadways.
I urge you to continue supporting the Long Island Greenway and help ensure this project keeps moving forward.

Your Name

Cleanup Schedule

Spring/Summer/Fall 2026

Spring

• Saturday, April 18th at 9am, As part of the Earth Day Celebrations– Starting location: The Port Jefferson Station Trailhead.
• Saturday, Tentatively May 16th at 9am , To be held in conjunction with the Town of Brookhaven’s 2022 Great Annual Clean Up – Starting location: The Port Jefferson Station Trailhead. Refreshments will be served.

Summer/Fall

• Saturday, June 20th at 9am, Starting Location: The Port Jefferson Station Trailhead. (Trail Stewards Breakfast Meet Up at 8:30pm)
• Saturday, July 18th at 8:30am, Starting location: The Port Jefferson Trailhead
• Saturday, August 15th at 8:30am, Starting locations: The Port Jefferson Station Trailhead.
• Saturday, September 19th at 9am, Starting location: The Port Jefferson Station Trailhead. (Trail Stewards Breakfast Meet Up at 8:30pm)

Need more information? Want to become a Trail Steward? Wish to Donate to the Greenway? Want to be on the Friends of the Greenway’s email list?

Email Herb at HJMones@gmail.com or Charlie at cfmcateer@gmail.com

Yes, we’re including this letter from the Three Village Civic Association, again – Please share it with your friends!

January 13, 2026
Suffolk County Legislator Steven Englebright
36 Route 25A, Setauket, NY 11733
Steven.Englebright@suffolkcountyny.gov

Re: The Setauket to Port Jefferson Greenway

Dear Suffolk County Legislator Englebright,

As you know, The Setauket to Port Jefferson Station Greenway is one of our community’s most valued treasures – a 3 ½ mile corridor used every day by hundreds and hundreds of residents to safely commute, exercise, walk, run, and enjoy nature. Free from motorized vehicles, the Greenway has grown in use and popularity with children and families, and is today, arguably, the most used recreational amenity in the Stony Brook, Setauket, East Setauket, and Port Jefferson Station area. The success of the Greenway serves as a model for other greenbelt proposals throughout Long Island; Suffolk County’s nearby, 11 mile North Shore Rail Trail certainly took its inspiration from the scenic and widely used Greenway

The Greenway was built, beginning in 2009, on a 150’ corridor owned by the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT.) It was your vision as a State Assemblyman that galvanized our civic association, environmentalists, good government activists and stakeholders to advocate for the Greenway, rather than a highway on this corridor that touches on multiple neighborhoods. The New York State Department of Transportation was a partner, at the time, in helping establish the Greenway.

However, there is now the unfortunate possibility that the NYSDOT could decide sometime in the future to remove the trail and build a bypass/highway extending Setauket to Port

Jefferson Station. This ‘build out’ would destroy surrounding neighborhoods, devastate the economic viability of both downtown Setauket and Port Jefferson Village, squander an eight million dollar investment of taxpayers money spent in the planning and constructing of the Greenway, and ‘pave over ‘a valued resource that has come to define the Three Villages.

This is simply unacceptable to the community.

Our association strongly believes immediate action is needed to preserve the trail. The recent veto by Governor Kathy Hochul of the legislation titled NY S08349 makes local action all the more urgent. We urge you to propose legislation to transfer the ownership of the Greenway from the New York State Department of Transportation to the Suffolk County Department of Parks, thus preserving in perpetuity our existing ‘linear park’. This transfer to Suffolk County Parks would have an added benefit: allowing the MTA to move forward on plans to use the former Lawrence Aviation site to modernize their LIRR Port Jefferson Branch without the apparent obstacles and continual ‘roadblocks’ by the New York State Department of Transportation.

We look forward to your response in resolving this issue so that future generations of Long Islanders can continue to enjoy a strong and connected ‘Greenway’ community.

Sincere Regards,

Peter St. Germaine
President, Three Village Civics Association

Wow – This is Going to be Great

In the works is a new Eagle Scout project to install a Bicycle Repair Stand on the Greenway. If you are not familiar with these ‘stands’ they enable bicyclists make minor repairs and adjustments to their ‘ride.’ No more turning your bicycle upside down! The stands are like – an extra two hands! More information to follow! And below is a list of the many existing projects completed by Scouts on the Greenway! Impressive!

Scouting Projects – Friends of The Greenway/Three Village Community Trust

Coordinators: Nick Koridis – Recruiter, Friends of Scouting, Friends of the Greenway, Charlie McAteer – Chair of the Friends of the Greenway Trail and Herb Mones TVCT Trustee. Eagle Scout Community Service Projects, Benjamin Tallmadge District, Suffolk County Council, Scouting America: 10.2.2025

1. Sean Anderson, Troop 244 Rocky Point – 2010
   Bench installed east off of Gnarled Hollow Road and thirty street name signs (provided by TVCT) installed as part of Eagle Scout Project.
2. Tyler Corsello, Troop 427 Setauket – 2010
   Two benches installed as part of Eagle Scout Project.
3. Anthony Stella, Troop 427 Setauket – 2010
   Bench and plantings installed as part of Eagle Scout Project.
4. Kenneth John Tant, Troop 117 Stony Brook – 2011
   Bench and General Trail Clean-up as part of Eagle Scout Project.
5. Skyler Thayer, Troop 377 East Setauket – 2011
   Mile Marker Posts for Mid-Trail at Gnarled Hollow Road parking lot. Handmade and installed. And General Trail Clean-up as part of Eagle Scout Project.
6. Nicholas Brigantino, Troop 229 Selden – 2012
   Bench at the Gnarled Hollow Parking lot and several bat-houses installed as part of Eagle Scout Project.
7. David Argento, Troop 204 Miller Place – 2016
   Bench installed at the Port Jefferson Station Trailhead and Brush/Tree Trimming Trail Clean-up as part of Eagle Scout Project.
8. Jake Linkletter, Troop 204 Miller Place – 2016
   Kiosk at the Gnarled Hollow Road parking lot at Mid-Trail and Brush/Tree Trimming Trail Clean-up as part of Eagle Scout Project.
9. James Nielsen, Troop 454 Port Jefferson Station – 2017
   Bench installed ¼ mile west from Port Jefferson Station trailhead and Brush/Tree Trimming Trail Clean-up as part of Eagle Scout Project.
10. Michael Furio, Troop 204 Miller Place – 2019
    Bench Project by the Setauket Trailhead, road crossing Signage & Clean-up as part of Eagle Scout Project.
11. Jared Sayler, Troop 204 Miller Place – 2019
    Bench Project & Clean-up as part of Eagle Scout Project.
12. Cole Swensen, Troop 204 Miller Place – 2020
    Bench Project and three ADA accessible concrete pads for access to benches, Clean-up of the trail, as part of Eagle Scout Project.
13. Kyle Rosenzweig, Troop 204 Miller Place – 2020
    Two benches installed with ADA accessible concrete pads as part of Eagle Scout Project.
14. John Heraghty, Troop 70 East Setauket – 2020
    Handcrafted and installed six bat houses and one ADA accessible concrete pad for a bench as part of Eagle Scout Project.
15. Jonathan Furio, Troop 204 Miller Place – 2022
    Handcrafted and installed 8 bat houses and Trail Clean-up as part of Eagle Scout Project.
16. Dylan Fagan, Troop 70 East Setauket – 2022
    Handcrafted and installed 5 bat houses and one ADA accessible concrete pad for a bench as part of Eagle Scout Project.
17. Matthew Petrie, Troop 204 Miller Place – 2023
    Handcrafted and installed 8 bat houses and one ADA accessible concrete pad for a bench as part of Eagle Scout Project.
18. Joseph Sciotto, Troop 70 East Setauket – 2023
    Mid Trailhead Replaced two cracked Bench Slats, Cleanup Storm Drains, create Rain Garden with planting, removed old wood mile marker post and added an ADA concrete slab for an existing bench as part of Eagle Scout Project.
19. Nicholas Comito, Troop 204 Miller Place – 2024
    Eagle Scout has earned his recognition working on the trail installing reflectors on posts at road crossings, added a concrete pad for benches and Trail clean up.
20. Holden Cone, Troop 427 Setauket – 2025
    PJ Trailhead 2.75 miles west installed a new bench and add an ADA concrete slab for the new bench as part of Eagle Scout Project. Bench was donated by the Suffolk County Landbank for the Greenway Trail.
21. Katie Nielsen, Girl Scout Award Project – 2025
    Katie Nielsen completed her Girl Scouts of the USA, Gold Award Project on the Greenway. She developed an interactive scavenger hunt along the Trail, created a series of educational websites, each accessible via QR codes placed on metal signs attached to trees along the trail with websites to provide information about the local ecosystem, including the various plant species found in the area.
22. Recruiting Future Eagle Scouts (Open Projects they are interested in – Troop TBD
    Mid Trailhead Replaced two cracked Bench Slats, Cleanup Storm Drains, create Rain Garden with planting, removed old wood mile marker post and added an ADA concrete slab for an existing bench, etc… as part of Eagle Scout Project

Recruiting Future Eagle Scouts (Open Projects they are interested in – Troop TBD
Mid Trailhead Replaced two cracked Bench Slats, Cleanup Storm Drains, create Rain Garden with planting, removed old wood mile marker post and added an ADA concrete slab for an existing bench, etc… as part of Eagle Scout Project.

The Greenway Trail as of October 2025 now has 13 DOT approved benches installed. Total of 8 Scout Troops in the BT District have donated and a total of 20 Eagle Scouts have done many projects on the Trail. The tally of each Troop Eagle Scout goes by their Troop Number.

Troop – 244 Rocky Point/Sound Beach, 1 Eagle Scout
Troop – 427 Setauket, 3 Eagle Scouts
Troop – 117 Stony Brook, 1 Eagle Scout
Troop – 377 East Setauket, 1 Eagle Scout
Troop – 229 Selden, 1 Eagle Scout
Troop – 204 Miller Place, 9 Eagle Scouts
Troop – 454 Port Jefferson, 1 Eagle Scout
Troop – 70 East Setauket, 3 Eagle Scouts
Girl Scouts – Scavenger Hunt/QR code, 1 Scout

Village Community Trust – planted the cherry tree located at the Setauket Trailhead in memory of Michael Cosel – co-founder of the Friends of the Greenway.