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Albany,
NY – November 2021 / Newsmaker Alert / The
New York State Office of Parks, Recreation
and Historic Preservation and the Hudson
River Valley Greenway have announced two projects to improve a total
of 4.2 miles of the Empire State
Trail in the Capital District, to assure the trails remain accessible
to bicyclists, walkers, and runners of all ages and abilities.
In
Waterford, the New York State Hudson River Valley Greenway partnered with
Saratoga County to rehabilitate a 1.2-mile section of the Empire State
Trail. The project, which is part of the Champlain Canalway Trail, improved
a 20-year-old trail section that runs north from Main Street (Route 32)
in the Village and Town of Waterford. Saratoga County constructed the improvements.
A new stonedust surface, safety fencing, and improved trail entrances were
installed to facilitate public use. The Hudson River Valley Greenway provided
a $275,000 grant to Saratoga County to fund the project, which began in
September. The Waterford trail is built on the towpath of the original
Champlain Canal, which operated from 1823 to 1918, until the modern canal
was relocated to the Hudson River.
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Before
and After Photos of the Champlain Canalway Trail Project Available Here
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In
Albany County, New York State Parks is repaving a 3-mile trail section
from Alexander Street in the City of Cohoes, running northwest to Route
9 in the Town of Colonie. State Parks will install a new asphalt surface
on the 20-year-old trail, and will update safety fencing, signage, and
road crossings. This segment is part of the Erie Canalway Trail, and is
also designated the Mohawk-Hudson Bike-Hike Trail. Construction of the
$710,000 project began this month, and will be fully completed in spring
2022.
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State
Parks Commissioner Erik Kulleseid said, “Improvements to these historic
trail corridors provide a great new place for cycling, running, walking
and cross-country skiing in Albany and Saratoga Counties. New York State
continues to lead the way in enhancing our parks and trails and connecting
more people to outdoor recreation.”
Hudson
River Valley Greenway Executive Director Scott Keller said, “These trail
projects provide enhanced outdoor recreation opportunities, support regional
tourism strategies, and provide Capital District residents and visitors
a new way to explore the historic Champlain and Erie Canal corridors.”
Town
of Moreau Supervisor and Saratoga County Board of Supervisors Chairman
Theodore T. Kusnierz, Jr. said, “Saratoga County takes great pride in its
vast trail system and many recreational opportunities from Waterford north
along the Hudson River and all points in between. These improvements to
the trail along the historic Hudson River will be enjoyed by our residents
and visitors alike for years to come. I am extremely proud of the Saratoga
County design and construction team for their work on this project and
thank Hudson River Valley Greenway and State officials for their investment
in our great county.”
Town
of Waterford Supervisor John Lawler said, “Here in Waterford, we proudly
welcome visitors from around the world who travel through the waterways
of the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers and the Erie and Champlain Canals. These
improvements to the Empire State Trail along the Champlain Canal corridor
will attract visitors and residents alike who will enjoy a scenic trip
through historic Waterford. I thank the State of New York and County of
Saratoga for their work in refurbishing this trail.”
Cohoes
Mayor William Keeler said, “The Mohawk-Hudson Bike path is a vital recreation
and transportation artery through the heart of historic Cohoes, and links
us to other communities in the region and across the state. The trail is
enjoyed in all four seasons by residents and visitors who are biking, birding,
hiking, walking, running, and more. We are grateful to Governor Hochul
and New York State Parks for their commitment to preserving this treasured
trail. These improvements will further our ‘Cleaner Greener Cohoes’ initiatives
to enhance our thoroughfares with a sustainability focus on enabling alternative
modes of transportation.”
The
Waterford and Cohoes paths are part of the Empire
State Trail, a 750-mile bicycling, walking, and hiking route that runs
from Buffalo to Albany along the Erie Canalway Trail, and from New York
City through the Hudson and Champlain Valleys to Canada. Detailed information
including trail segment descriptions and an on-line map depicting the trail
route, designated parking areas, and nearby attractions is available on
the project website here. Additionally, interested trail users can order
a free large format, printed Empire State Trail map by submitting an email
with name and mailing address on the website’s
Contact Us page.
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New
York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees
more than 250 individual parks, historic sites, recreational trails and
boat launches, which were visited by a record 77 million people in 2019.
A recent university study found that spending by State Parks and its visitors
supports $5 billion in output and sales, 54,000 private-sector jobs and
more than $2.8 billion in additional state GDP. For more information on
any of these recreation areas, call 518-474-0456 or visit NYS
Parks website, connect with us on Facebook,
or follow on Instagram
and Twitter. The free New
York State Parks Explorer mobile app is available for iOS and Android devices.
To download, visit: Google
Play Store, NY State Parks Explorer App or Apple
Store, NY State Parks Explorer App.
Source
Document
Media
Contact:
Dan
Keefe | Brian Nearing
518-486-1868
news@parks.ny.gov |