Nassau Trails - partial closure

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mpope68 said:
This is a sad day. Those trails were perfect to link the two sides of the park.
Will be interesting to see how it rides without them.
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Not that fun. Those were the flowiest sections of the park. I absolutely love riding here and CR, so I'm gutted about this. Seriously, I'd drive out to Foran from Staten Island, then hit up Clinton town for some good eats. Still can, but the desire will be less now that the park isn't as fun. Not to mention the specter of being a targeted party hanging over your head.

A weird side story is how much High Bridge is supportive of the trails there, but a few miles away, we got this happening.
 
Bikeworks said:
Not that fun. Those were the flowiest sections of the park. I absolutely love riding here and CR, so I'm gutted about this. Seriously, I'd drive out to Foran from Staten Island, then hit up Clinton town for some good eats. Still can, but the desire will be less now that the park isn't as fun. Not to mention the specter of being a targeted party hanging over your head.

A weird side story is how much High Bridge is supportive of the trails there, but a few miles away, we got this happening.
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Foran trail is still open - the closure is the switchback climb out of the small lot and related trails to the toolbox.
The field trail will be open - i'm sure @Jeffreywoliver will establish a proper trail to avoid the road - there is a trail that is close to there, but the grass is high during the summer - which made the link from the woods to the road difficult.
 
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We need details on the restriction. As I stated in the other thread, biking is a passive activity the same as hiking.
 
Patrick said:
Foran trail is still open - the closure is the switchback climb out of the small lot and related trails to the toolbox.
The field trail will be open - i'm sure @Jeffreywoliver will establish a proper trail to avoid the road - there is a trail that is close to there, but the grass is high during the summer - which made the link from the woods to the road difficult.

one may remember a rock wall that runs along there - trail crosses it in a couple places.
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I know, it still stinks though. That's a great part of the trail. Here's hoping there's an alternate planned, and that I'm free to help on days they are doing it.
 
I started the trails in 2010 or 2011 with Thatcher Simpson. After ~12 years of it, and a few years now of fighting to defend them. I’m out. The 6-7 people who maintain the trails haven't been consulted in this whole decision. We ran into neighbor issues in early 2020 and solved the immediate issues. Neighbor brought the government bureaucrats into it. After developing a remediation plan between two towns, High Bridge and Clinton Township, nothing has been done despite having volunteers ready and waiting. Now the town is going to solve it. Well, not really. I was told just last week that “the trails don’t bring folks to town anyway.” SMDH. If the town wanted to execute the remediation plan and resolve the manufactured problem then they would have already. Inaction and politics is the issue in High Bridge. I’m out. Moving to NC next Spring anyway.

I suggest communicating to the Mayor and council what the trails bring to HB.

highbridge.org

Mayor & Council

2025 Mayor and Council Mayor Michele Lee; term expires 12/31/26 - mlee@highbridge.org Councilwoman Natalie Ferry; term expires 12/31/26 - nferry@highbridge.org Councilwoman Kelly Matos; term expires 12/31/26 - kmatos@highbridge.org Councilman Kenneth Doyle; term expires 12/31/25 -...
highbridge.org highbridge.org

Council Meeting is next Thursday I believe.
 
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Jeffreywoliver said:
I started the trails in 2010 or 2011 with Thatcher Simpson. After ~12 years of it, and a few years now of fighting to defend them. I’m out. The 6-7 people who maintain the trails haven't been consulted in this whole decision. We ran into neighbor issues in early 2020 and solved the immediate issues. Neighbor brought the government bureaucrats into it. After developing a remediation plan between two towns, High Bridge and Clinton Township, nothing has been done despite having volunteers ready and waiting. Now the town is going to solve it. Well, not really. I was told just last week that “the trails don’t bring folks to town anyway.” SMDH. If the town wanted to execute the remediation plan and resolve the manufactured problem then they would have already. Inaction and politics is the issue in High Bridge. I’m out. Moving to NC next Spring anyway.

I suggest communication to the Mayor and council what the trails bring to HB and why this is a bad decision by the folks in charge.

highbridge.org

Mayor & Council

2025 Mayor and Council Mayor Michele Lee; term expires 12/31/26 - mlee@highbridge.org Councilwoman Natalie Ferry; term expires 12/31/26 - nferry@highbridge.org Councilwoman Kelly Matos; term expires 12/31/26 - kmatos@highbridge.org Councilman Kenneth Doyle; term expires 12/31/25 -...
highbridge.org highbridge.org

Council Meeting is next Thursday I believe.
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Sad. Thanks for all the great work!
 
Jeffreywoliver said:
I started the trails in 2010 or 2011 with Thatcher Simpson. After ~12 years of it, and a few years now of fighting to defend them. I’m out. The 6-7 people who maintain the trails haven't been consulted in this whole decision. We ran into neighbor issues in early 2020 and solved the immediate issues. Neighbor brought the government bureaucrats into it. After developing a remediation plan between two towns, High Bridge and Clinton Township, nothing has been done despite having volunteers ready and waiting. Now the town is going to solve it. Well, not really. I was told just last week that “the trails don’t bring folks to town anyway.” SMDH. If the town wanted to execute the remediation plan and resolve the manufactured problem then they would have already. Inaction and politics is the issue in High Bridge. I’m out. Moving to NC next Spring anyway.

I suggest communication to the Mayor and council what the trails bring to HB and why this is a bad decision by the folks in charge.

highbridge.org

Mayor & Council

2025 Mayor and Council Mayor Michele Lee; term expires 12/31/26 - mlee@highbridge.org Councilwoman Natalie Ferry; term expires 12/31/26 - nferry@highbridge.org Councilwoman Kelly Matos; term expires 12/31/26 - kmatos@highbridge.org Councilman Kenneth Doyle; term expires 12/31/25 -...
highbridge.org highbridge.org

Council Meeting is next Thursday I believe.
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Thank you for all you did, it's an amazing legacy and I hate that it's being tarnished over politics and inaction. I wrote a quick email to the mayor for what it's worth:

Hello Mayor Lee,

My name is Thomas Txxxxx. I just became aware of the recent decision to permanently close a large section of the Nassau trail system to mountain bike use. Nassau is perhaps my favorite trail system to ride in New Jersey, and I travel there often from Staten Island where I reside. I first rode there as a new rider receiving coaching at the High Bridge flow trails (also great, and sorry to hear of the tree devastation), with a subsequent trip to the Nassau trails. I fell in love with the place!! I eventually got in the habit of hitting town for coffee at Scout's afterwards, and more recently have been heading to Clinton as well for the same reason (as well as scoring some pickles at Kilhaney's).

As an active member of NYCMTB, I also encourage other fellow riders to experience this trail system, as we are limited in access to mountain bike trails here. We've made great efforts to expand here on Staten Island, working with NYC and the Parks Department, as well as conservation advocacy groups, so we understand the complexities of multi-use trail access and the potential issues. Anyone who has accompanied me on trips to Nassau always tells me how happy and grateful they are for having learned of them. I'd love for that to continue. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help facilitate the continued use of the entire, wonderful trail system at Nassau. Thank you for taking the time to read and consider this email from a non-constituent.

Best regards,

Thomas Txxxxx
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I understand the frustration here but ask folks to refrain from exacerbating the situation. Outside of Pat posting at the landmanager's request and Jeff with intimate knowledge of the situation, much of this thread is fodder for opposition.
 
I'm going to lock this for now.

If closing the trail is the correct move at this time, so be it. The relationship is still there, we shouldn't risk what we have over what may be lost.
 
Unlocking. I’m not in the business of running a site where we oppress people expressing their opinions and being upset. While I understand we don’t want to collectively exacerbate the situation, it’s too heavy-handed to say people can’t have an opinion on this.

I’ll ask that everyone please keep it respectful in discussions about it, however.
 
@Patrick I edited two of my responses to make them less antagonistic. You quoted them, so if you want, feel free to delete them to tone down the volume. Sorry for any acrimony I may have caused, but I read this right around the time I had decided to go to Nassau lol.
 
Are they planning on some sort of official communication? (This thread should not be that official communication). If people continue to ride there, I hope they don’t point here and say “they were warned”. I don’t see anything on the Nassau Facebook page.
 
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