Gateway National Recreation Area is proposing to increase parking fees in the park. Parking fees would increase at both Sandy Hook and Riis Beach in 2017.
Proposed 2017 Fees at Sandy Hook:
$20 per day
$100 per season
$50 per oversize car per day
$200 per oversize car per day
Proposed 2017 Fees at Riis Beach
$15 per day
$75 per season
$30 per oversize car per day
$150 per oversize car per season
"We are committed to keeping the park affordable but also want to provide visitors with the best possible experience," said Gateway Superintendent Jen Nersesian. "The money from the parking fees will help improve our visitor facilities and services."
Even with the proposed fee increases, a visit to Gateway's beaches will remain within the means of most people. The park charges per vehicles, not per person, which is more cost effective for most visitors.
Visitors with Senior or Access Passes would be charged half price for parking, as they are currently.
Parking fees at Gateway are authorized through the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act of 2004 (FLREA), which allows 80% of the revenue collected at Gateway to remain in the park.
Since 2001, Gateway has used this authority and resulting revenue of nearly $25 million for improvements, which include: rehabilitating campgrounds and the Ryan Visitor Center at Floyd Bennett Field; expanding the docking facility at Sandy Hook; paving the Multi-Use Path at Sandy Hook; rehabilitating Frank Charles Park in Queens; refurbishing restrooms and beach stations throughout Gateway, adding a web-cam to the Sandy Hook Lighthouse; and rehabbing the Sandy Hook lighthouse.
Our public engagement period on the proposed fee increase is open from Friday, July 29 through Monday, September 5, 2016.
Feedback will be accepted via email at Gateway_Fee_Increase@nps.gov or at the following address:
Office of the Superintendent
Gateway National Recreation Area
ATTN: Proposed parking fee increase
210 New York Avenue
Staten Island, New York 10305.
Your opinion is important to us. Gateway will consider all opinions before making a final decision.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
