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SJC -- 1 foot per mile is a slope of 0.010851 degrees (asin(1/5280)). One hundredth of one degree. That's about a flat as anything gets. The very attractiveness of rail-beds converted to multi-use public pathways is that by their nature they are as level as possible. Locomotives just hate going uphill (very inefficient). The maximum rail-bed slope is about 2.4 degrees (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruling_gradient). Please tell me again how obtaining 20-30mph speeds down a one hundredth of one degree slope is not difficult.

ATV's (*All* Terrain Vehicles) definitely won't be deterred by a gravel path. In fact, gravel and dirt trails are what they're built for. Can you imagine what the spray of loose gravel would do do anyone behind an ATV doing a wheelie on a gravel path?

I think it is wonderful that the Parks Department is replacing 400 trees because they are removing 400 trees. A net loss of zero. Is it really true that all 400 trees come from alongside the Putnam Trail? Where did you find this information, and where does it mention only 7 trees will be removed for a gravel-only trail. From the SPT website possibly?

If you are concerned about last remaining wetlands in NYC, shift your map over to the Jamaica wetlands, right next door to JFK airport. Actually read pages 12 and 13 of this NYC Wetlands Strategy study (http://www.nyc.gov/html/planyc2030/downloads/pdf/nyc_wetlands_strategy.pdf). Van Cortlandt park is barely a footnote because it has "ephemeral wetlands and small kettle ponds."

Van Cortland park is not the private preserve of the Community Boards that bound it, nor even the private enclave of the Bronx. It belongs to all of New York City. Our taxes pay for it's maintenance and upkeep and the planting of trees and the improvement of the trails. This issue is not more complicated than it seems. A group of well-funded elite running clubs are trying to co-opt a path used by a wide cross-section of people in different ways and with different capabilities. I've seen the SPT website and it is far from an unbiased source of information. The Parks Department has it right: provide the most appropriate multi-use path to serve the largest number of people with least amount of environmental impact.