This project dates all the way back to the late 1970s where the details began to firm up and meetings advocating for a “rail trail” to be created started being held.

Congressman Bishop eventually secured federal funding for the project in the year 2000. After many years of inactivity, Suffolk County Legislator Anker finally got this rolling. Final fund allocation was granted in the summer of 2019 by a unanimous vote in the Legislature. The groundbreaking began in the fall of 2019 and the project is slated to be completed in the fall of 2021.

For the past 8 years Legislator Anker has chaired a Rail Trail Advisory Board which is comprised of members of the respective Civic Associations that share a part of the trail. It is the hope of this board to create a coalition of Civic committees that will share in the maintenance and stewardship responsibilities.

This trail will be a great thing for Rocky Point, in particular, as it will bring foot traffic into our downtown and increase the use of our DEC property. Not only is this trail an alternative for transportation from our congested roadways, it is a linear park that all surrounding residents can benefit from. It also ties our adjacent communities together and will offer many future possibility of fellowship. Rocky Point is certainly looking forward this trail being open and seeing its residents getting outside and enjoying themselves.