Funding estimates are in, political support is growing

NYC's East River Park Track lighting project gains momentum with community board support and $1.5M funding estimate, as advocates push for safer evening running conditions.

Author

Jason Froimowitz
August 27, 2025

Hi everyone,

Apologies for the long gap between updates. I've been busy training for the NYC Marathon (9 weeks to go!). Thanks for sticking with this effort and for your continued support.

Earlier this year, Manhattan Community Board 3 unanimously passed a resolution advocating for city agencies to add lights to the East River Park track. This was a big step forward in demonstrating community support and helps to enable conversations with local elected officials.

I recently met with City Council Member Carlina Rivera's staff (City Council District 2) to discuss the need for improved lighting. The councilwoman is supportive of the effort and received an estimate from NYC Parks that it would cost about $1.5 million to add lights to the track. That funding would need to come from the city or state budget, or a combination of both, in the upcoming fiscal year. While it won’t be in place before the track closes for reconstruction, there is still time to incorporate lighting into the reconstruction plans.

I’ve also met with State Senator Brian Kavanagh’s office to advocate for state level funding in the 2026 budget.

Looking ahead, I plan to meet with presumptive incoming CD-2 Council Member Harvey Epstein, who recently won the Democratic nomination and is expected to take office in 2026, replacing Carlina Rivera. I also plan to meet with the to-be elected State Assembly representative for District 74, who will also take office in 2026. I’ve already discussed the importance of improved track lighting recently with several candidates running for this office.

This advocacy effort will take some time, but momentum is building and we’re headed in the right direction.

Lastly, in case you haven’t heard, the East River Park track is scheduled to close beginning 9/8 as part of the ongoing East Side Coastal Resiliency project (ESCR) construction. The closure is expected to last through at least 2026.

Thanks again for your support. We’ll need it for the long haul, but we’re making steady progress.