County executive lays out plans to prevent July 4 Rockland Lake State Park overcrowding

There are new plans to make sure there won't be overcrowding this Fourth of July at Rockland Lake State Park.

News 12 Staff

Jul 3, 2019, 9:08 PM

Updated 2,114 days ago

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There are new plans to make sure there won't be overcrowding this Fourth of July at Rockland Lake State Park.
Last year, the parking lot was completely full, with thousands of people in the pool and the park. There were cars parked illegally on lawns, blocking roads and preventing emergency vehicles from getting by.

"It was absolute mayhem. There's no other way to describe it," says Rockland County Executive Ed Day.

Day says that won't happen this holiday because the county already has a plan in place.

Day says the plan involves all law enforcement agencies and using social media and message boards. The county also posted no parking signs on roads and are using displays on the Palisades Parkway to alert drivers if the parking lot is full.
The county executive says the first person who parks their car illegally will be towed.

The parking lot holds approximately 3,000. County officials say they will shut it down on the Fourth when it reaches over 90% capacity and that they will send people to other parks.

Officials are anticipating a minimum of 7,000 people to pack the park.