Long Island MOTOR PARKWAY SPECIAL EVENT STATION

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This Special Event Station will be on the air October 7, 2018 and will commemorate the 110th Anniversary of the opening of The Long Island Motor Parkway which was opened to the public on October 10, 1908 and used until Easter Sunday,  1938.  In conjunction with the Lake Ronkonkoma Heritage Association and the Preservation Society of the Long Island Motor Parkway (http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/motor_pkwy) a series of operators will transmit at the western most portion of the Motor Parkway in Queens, at the eastern most portion in Lake Ronkonkoma and along the Motor Parkway route itself.   The Motor Parkway ran 48 miles and was the idea of William K. Vanderbilt, Jr. and several other wealthy individuals to promote automobile racing in the United States in the early 20th century.   And when the route was not used for racing, it became the first toll road in the nation exclusively used for automobiles.  For 30 years it existed, but due to other roadways built to handle larger numbers of autos and it being a money losing proposition, it closed on Easter Sunday, 1938.   Several innovative firsts were used to build the Motor Parkway including reinforced concrete pavement, dustless roads, banked curves and no grade crossings (bridges were used in order to keep cars moving and not interfere with other roads, pedestrian walkways, train tracks etc.). It was not under the realm of municipal police departments and thus auto enthusiasts were free to travel at whatever speeds their autos could get to (typically 60 mph in those days). 
 
After its closure due to back taxes owed, the property was deeded to Queens, Nassau and Suffolk Counties to do what each felt best.  Queens eventually made part of into a bike way and today is used by bikers, joggers and the like. Nassau sold much of the property to either developers or utilities and Suffolk incorporated it into its own series of roads.  Parts of the roadway exist today if you know where to look, as do many cement posts that once lined the entire 48 miles.
 
Other commemorative events are planned by the Lake Ronkonkoma Heritage Association on the same day, including the 6th Annual Motor Parkway “Sunday Drive” in which antique autos will travel the route of the Motor Parkway from Queens to Lake Ronkonkoma where the winner will be named and a historical marker will be unveiled.  Local media coverage is planned.
     The Special Event will use 3 call signs, W2V, and WV2LI.  Mobile units will participate in the “race” using the callsign, WV2LI.
 
     QSL  information. All QSL or certificate requests must be SASE.
     The original cost for entering the parkway was $2.00. Please consider a voluntary donation of that amount to help defray the costs.
Send QSL’s toL
LIMARC-
P.O. Box 392
Levittown, NY 11756
 
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