Nearly 200-Mile Long Island Greenway Connecting New York City to Montauk Moves Toward Construction

A sweeping plan to create a nearly 200-mile walking and bicycling corridor from New York City across Long Island to Montauk is moving closer to becoming a reality, with the first major construction phase now advancing through planning, environmental review and funding.

The Long Island Greenway, a project being developed by Trust for Public Land in partnership with Suffolk County and other public agencies, is intended to eventually connect Manhattan with communities across Nassau and Suffolk counties while linking Long Island into New York State’s 750-mile Empire State Trail network.

The planned route would provide a continuous corridor for walking, bicycling, commuting and recreation, using a combination of existing trails, public land, utility rights-of-way and newly constructed trail segments. Much of the route is expected to be separated from automobile traffic.

First Major Section Will Connect Bethpage and Brentwood

The first major construction project is a roughly 12-mile section running between the Bethpage and Brentwood areas. The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded Suffolk County $16.4 million through its RAISE infrastructure program to construct the Brentwood-to-Bethpage Connector.

Federal transportation documents describe the project as an approximately 12-mile segment of a larger proposed 175-mile Greenway stretching from Manhattan to Montauk. The segment is expected to be primarily off-road and make extensive use of utility rights-of-way.

The federal grant documents originally listed an estimated construction start of January 2026. However, the project has continued through design and environmental review, and more recent planning indicates construction is moving into the next stage rather than following that original timetable.

Suffolk County’s environmental review process included the Bethpage-to-Brentwood section of the Long Island Greenway in its 2025 Council on Environmental Quality proceedings. County records show that a formal State Environmental Quality Review Act determination for the project was completed in late 2025.

A Much Larger Trail Network Is Planned

The Bethpage-Brentwood segment represents only the beginning of a substantially larger project.

Trust for Public Land currently describes the Long Island Greenway as a nearly 200-mile trail system that would ultimately stretch from Manhattan to Montauk while also providing a branch toward Orient Point.

The organization divides the overall project into five major sections:

• Eisenhower Park to Brentwood State Park, approximately 25 miles
• Riverhead to Montauk on the South Fork, approximately 50 miles
• Riverhead to Brentwood, approximately 40 miles
• Riverhead to Orient Point, approximately 35 miles
• A Manhattan connection, approximately 38 miles

Trust for Public Land says approximately $35 million has already been secured for various portions of the project, including the $16.4 million federal grant funding the first 12 miles.

Eastern Suffolk Portion Is Already in Design

Work is also advancing farther east. In July 2025, Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine announced that the design phase had begun for the eastern portion of the Greenway.

According to Suffolk County, that portion of the project is expected to extend for more than 50 miles across eastern Suffolk County and would connect seven railroad stations, 14 bus stations and 73 parks.

The county estimates that nearly 36,000 residents will live within one mile of that portion of the trail, providing connections between neighborhoods, green spaces and public transportation.

A separate 2026 feasibility and route alignment report also examined the planned Greenway between Brentwood State Park and the Medford Athletic Complex, providing a more detailed look at how the corridor could continue east through central Suffolk County.

Designed as Transportation as Well as Recreation

Although the project would create a significant new recreational trail system, planners are also positioning the Greenway as transportation infrastructure.

The U.S. Department of Transportation says the Greenway is intended to connect residential neighborhoods, college campuses, commercial districts, parks, bus stops and Long Island Rail Road stations while providing safer alternatives to automobile travel.

Planned improvements include off-road pathways, accessible trail infrastructure, traffic-calming measures and signalized crossings where the Greenway intersects roadways.

The broader goal is to make it possible for residents to use portions of the trail not only for exercise and recreation, but also for everyday trips to schools, transit stations, workplaces and nearby communities.

Closing a Major Gap in the Empire State Trail

The Greenway is also intended to address one of the largest geographical gaps in New York’s statewide trail system.

The Empire State Trail opened in 2020 as a 750-mile network connecting New York City with Albany, Buffalo and the Canadian border. The system currently reaches the southern tip of Manhattan but does not continue east across Long Island.

Trust for Public Land describes the Long Island project as the missing connection that could ultimately extend that network through Brooklyn, Queens, Nassau County and Suffolk County to the East End.

In a June 2026 project overview, Trust for Public Land said the Greenway would provide dozens of communities with greater access to trails, parks and outdoor recreation while creating a continuous route across Long Island.

Long Island Greenway Project at a Glance

With federal construction funding secured, environmental reviews advancing and additional eastern portions already entering design, the Long Island Greenway is increasingly moving from a long-term trail concept toward a physical transportation and recreation network that could eventually allow people to travel across much of Long Island by foot or bicycle.

References

• Trust for Public Land: Long Island Greenway Project
• U.S. Department of Transportation: FY 2025 RAISE Grant, Long Island Greenway Brentwood-to-Bethpage Connector
• Suffolk County: Expansion and Design of the Long Island Greenway Trail
• Suffolk County Council on Environmental Quality: Bethpage-to-Brentwood Environmental Review
• Trust for Public Land: Brentwood State Park-to-Medford Route Alignment and Feasibility Report
• Trust for Public Land: A Trail to Make New York Whole
• Long Island Greenway Interactive Route and Amenities Map