The
O&W Rail Trail along Route 209 has
been a bigger hit than the Town ever imagined. Walkers.
bicyclists,
skaters – the
old, the young, families and singles, joggers and cross-country
teams – you
can find them all on the trail through every season, in all
kinds of weather. The message is clear. Hurley loves rail
trails. 
The Delaware and Hudson Heritage Corridor Alliance deserves
our thanks. It’s their vision, leadership, and persistence
that will eventually make it possible to travel the rail trail
from
Kingston to Pennsylvania.
The
Hurley segment of the 108 mile rail trail runs 12.8 miles from
Kingston to Marbletown. In 2005 the 2.2 miles
along
Route 209 opened
for use after paving. The northern portion has been landscaped.
If the NYSDOT Tree Planting Program continues to receive
funding, the
landscaping for the southern portion will be completed
in 2007.
This segment has been a collaborative project funded
with dollars and in-kind services by NYS Senator Bonacic,
NYS
DOT, the Hudson
River Valley Greenway, the Town of Hurley, and many individual
volunteers and supporters. In an impressive commitment
to inter-municipal cooperation,
nine towns and NYSDOT participated in paving the trail.
Individuals and organizations have adopted berms for
upkeep. The Eagle
Scouts are building the kiosks and benches.
The Town is responsible for maintenance of the trail
which includes mowing, clean-up, and maintenance of
the asphalt.
This, too,
has become a community effort. The Girl Scouts, Coleman
Cares, Key Bank,
and many rail trail volunteers contribute many Saturday
mornings of work.
A related project for a pedestrian path linking the
trail to the Ernest C. Myer elementary school and
a new parking
area at
the intersection
of Russell Road and Rte. 209 a is in the works; plans
for the proposed project will be submitted to the
NYSDOT Transportation
Enhancement
Program for funding. The
Community Speaks Through Words And Actions
Hurley wants more rail trails. Rail trails and bicycle paths
received the highest positive response in the community survey.
People
use the trails daily, volunteer their time, and show their
appreciation. We recommend that the town make the extension
of the trail system
a priority.
A
possible related project would be to support
a new parking area at the intersection of Russell
Road and
Rte. 209, with a pedestrian path linking the trail to the
Ernest C. Myer elementary school; plans for a proposed
project will be submitted to the NYSDOT Transportation
Enhancement
Program.
Extension
of the O&W Trail
The next step is connecting the 209 segment
to Kingston. Grant funding has been secured
to cover the cost of the project with
a 20% match from the participating towns. Hurley’s responsibility
is limited to the 1100 feet from the trail to the town border. 
When this segment is complete one will be able
to travel from Washington Avenue in Kingston
to High Falls.
U&D
Railroad Trail Corridor
The U&D Rail Trail Corridor presents a potential opportunity for a continuous
transportation and recreation corridor from the Susquehanna River in Oneonta
to the Hudson River in Kingston. The trail would travel along the reservoir and
through the cornfields to link with the O&W trail along 209.
The U&D Feasibility Study currently underway is analyzing the potential
for a phased implementation and maintenance of a system that would accommodate
both
train and rail trail. The majority of the approximately 40 mile right-of-way
is currently leased by Catskill Mountain Railroad and owned by Ulster County,
New York City, and the City of Kingston.
The consultants have identified many challenges – both physical and bureaucratic – to
implementing a trail that would serve both rail and non-rail users. Success
will require the commitment and dedication of many partners. We recommend that
Hurley
make its support known, particularly to the Ulster County Metropolitan Planning
Organization.
The Future
The open space plan identified other trails that could be added to
the system. Some are longstanding trails through private property
or government
land.
They wind through beautiful and historic scenery. Longer term, or
if any of the sites
are considered for development, we recommend exploring the feasibility
of formalizing these trails by providing incentives for developers
to include public access
trails in their designs, acquiring property, and/or right-of-way
agreements.
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