Healthy Trails, Healthy People Trail Projects

Congratulations to the Healthy Trails, Healthy People Program projects selected for 2008

Three existing projects will also be expanded to include additional trail development efforts.

Chemung Valley Riverside Trail - Parks & Trails New York will assist the Chemung River Trail Partnership with the development of a 16-mile multi-use trail that would link the City of Corning in Steuben County with the City of Elmira in Chemung County along the banks of the Chemung River.

Chenango Canal Connections Corridor Parks & Trails New York will work with the Chenango Canal Association to coordinate the formation of the Chenango Canal Connections Corridor, a multi-county effort to link communities from Clinton to Hamilton with an 11-mile trail that in large part follows the route of the former Chenango Canal. Parks & Trails New York will assist with the development of three miles of multi-use trail on the former canal towpath in the Village of Clinton in Oneida County as well as help develop a trail route that will extend the existing five-mile Chenango Canal Towpath Trail near Bouckville an additional six miles south to the Village of Hamilton in Madison County,

Oneonta Susquehanna Greenway - Parks & Trails New York will assist the Otsego County Conservation Association with development of a ten-mile multi-use trail that would extend along the Susquehanna River linking Neahwa Park through Fortin Park to Riddell State Park and connect the City of Oneonta to the River. Already four miles of the Susquehanna Greenway have been built by the City of Oneonta and are open to the public.

Quassaic Creek Trail - Parks & Trails New York will assist Orange County Planning and the City of Newburgh with the construction of the Quassaic Creek Trail, a 3-mile multi-use trail proposed for the north bank of Quassaic Creek in the City of Newburgh and Town of New Windsor.

St. Lawrence River Greenway Trails - 5-mile trail in St. Lawrence County
Parks & Trails New York is assisting the Town and Village of Waddington with refurbishment of an existing trail and extension of that trail along the St. Lawrence River to connect the Town and Village of Waddington with Coles Creek State Park.

Lakeville-Livonia Trail – 6-mile rail trail in Livingston County
Parks & Trails New York is assisting residents of the Town and Village of Livonia with addressing landowner concerns and development of a 6.4-mile mile rail trail that will link the Village of Livonia with the hamlet of South Lima and the Conesus Lake community of Lakeville in the western Finger Lakes. A feasibility study has been completed with funding from the local Metropolitan Planning Organization.

Delaware and Hudson Canal Trail - 2-mile historic canal towpath trail in Sullivan County
Parks & Trails New York will assist the Town of Mamakating with development, promotion and interpretation of the towpath trail along the historic D&H Canal. Funds have been received for trail surfacing and repair.

Hoosic River Greenway - 2.5-mile rail along the Hoosic River in Rensselaer County
Parks & Trails New York is assisting the Village of Hoosick Falls with development of a trail that extends along the Hoosic River within the Village. The Village recently received $100,000 in Recreational Trails Program funds.

Ramapo River Greenway Trail – 2-mile rail trail that links to New Jersey
Parks & Trails New York is assisting the Town of Ramapo in Rockland County with development of a rail trail that extends from the New Jersey border through Sloatsburg to the Village of Hillburn.

Grand Loop Network - Countywide trail network in Nassau County
Parks & Trails New York will assist Nassau County with planning and development of a countywide trails network as well as aid a selected number of communities with the development of trails that link to the countywide trail system. This effort builds upon Parks & Trails New York ongoing efforts to help citizens advocate for the development of a major east-west trail extending across the county from the Queens to Suffolk borders following much of the historic route of the former Long Island Motor Parkway.

Rockaway Beach Branch Greenway – 3.5-mile urban trail in Queens
The Rockaway Beach Branch Greenway Committee plans to develop a 3.5-mile urban trail on a former Long Island Railroad corridor now owned by New York City. The committee has already cleared some sections of the corridor, received approval from Community Board 9, and garnered the support of the New York City Planning Commission, which is undertaking a feasibility study. Community youth have made substantial contributions to the effort through presentations at public meetings and corridor clean ups.

Salmon River Greenway Trail – 3-mile multi-use trail along the banks of the Salmon River in Oswego County

Update: September 2006 – The Village of Pulaski and the Town of Richland received a $25,000 grant from the Department of State's Division of Coastal Water Resources for planning and visioning of Pulaski's Salmon River Trail. Click here for more details.
Preservation and Revitalization of Pulaski (PROP), the Town of Richland, and the Village of Pulaski plan to develop a 3-mile multi-use trail along the banks of the Salmon River. Eventually this trail will connect to 12 additional miles of trail to be built along the river linking the towns of Redfield, Orwell, and Altmar to Richland and Pulaski.

Chittenango Creek Walk and Neighborhood Trail - a village trail system in Madison County
Update: November 2006 – Chittenango Creek Walk awarded grants from legislators and Trout Unlimited. Click here for more details.
Update: March 2006 - Chittenango Creek Wlak to link schools, neighborhoods and downtowns. Click here for more details.
The Creek Walk and Neighborhood Trail Committee and the village government plan to develop 3.3 miles of trails linking village neighborhoods, the village commercial area, the Erie Canalway Trail, and a Village and Town park. An important aspect of the project is the construction of an accessible, 1.09- mile multi-use trail along the banks of Chittenango Creek that will link the Canalway Trail and the popular Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum with the business district.

The Pendleton Trail – a 7-mile rail trail in Niagara County
The Town of Pendleton plans to establish a 7-mile trail that will link the community to the Erie Canalway Trail using a former Lehigh Valley Railroad bed. Already one mile is open and funding has been received for development of an additional 1.5 miles of trail.

2005 Projects

Robert E. Moody Trail – 1.1-mile rail trail in Ontario County
Update: November 2006 – The Robert Moody Trail came one step closer to completion with the recent announcement of a $5,000 grant. Click here for more details.
Update: September 2006 – A $50,000 grant from the Environmental Protection Fund and administered by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) may soon erase the only remaining obstacle to making the Moody Hiking Trail a reality for citizens of Rushville and Gorham in Ontario County. Click here for more details.
In Ontario County, the Town of Gorham and Village of Rushville are working together to open 1.1 miles of former rail bed as a trail that would extend from the small Village of Rushville (population 500) to a rural road in the Town of Gorham. The community envisions an historic and scenic trail along the West River that will serve as a recreational getaway destination for local residents who presently have no public recreation areas within easy access. The trails committee decided to name the trail the Robert
E. Moody Trail in honor of the man who donated the corridor to the town.

Already, community leaders have undertaken many of those first steps that are so important to laying a good foundation for a successful trail development effort. A community trail committee has formed and meets regularly. Students from the Environmental Planning and Impact Analysis Class at Finger Lakes
Community College have prepared a comprehensive Rushville/Gorham West River Trail Plan and cleared the entire corridor. A local engineering firm has donated its services to assess and provide cost estimates for repair of three bridges along the route. And, the Canandaigua Lake Watershed Council, the local municipalities, and the Ontario County Water Resource Council have all pledged some funds for the effort.

In June 2005, the town applied for Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) monies to rehabilitate the five deteriorated timber bridges that now prevent the public from using the trail. Parks & Trails New York has met with project leaders and walked the corridor, provided advice, and submitted a support letter for the town’s EPF application.

Dryden-Freeville Trail – 2.8-mile rail trail in Tompkins County
Update: September 2006 – One such trail connecting to the Jim Schug Trail is the proposed 3.3 mile Dryden–Freeville trail... Click here to view this article
The Town of Dryden intends to develop a trail on a 2.8-mile section of former rail bed that links the Tompkins County villages of Freeville and Dryden. Because of multiple issues, including landowner concerns, only recently has the town been able to begin work on the project and utilize the federal transportation enhancements funds that it was awarded in 1996. The trail will pass close to several local schools, a community college, and senior housing complexes as well as connect with the existing 3.5-mile Jim Schug Trail that runs between the Village of Dryden and a town park on Dryden Lake. The trail is part of a long-term vision to eventually provide a trail connection through Dryden to the East
Ithaca Recreationway.

In June 2005, Parks & Trails New York attended an informal community open house that the town held for adjacent landowners and other interested parties to view the project consultants’ suggestions for a trail route. The town’s environmental planner moved away in mid summer, leaving the project without a local champion for several months, but a new planner has been hired and is overseeing the project. A public meeting to present the DOT-required design approval document is planned.

Enchanted Forest Pathway Trail – Riverside Park in West Harlem, New York City
Update:July 2006 – Parks & Trails New York joins effort to restore Riverside Park North-West Harlem. Click here to read this article.
Update:November 2005 – Community leaders focus attention on Harlem riverfront restoration. Click here to read this article.
The West Harlem Art Fund is working to build community and governmental support for its “Take Me to the River” project, which involves site and access improvements to the existing but underutilized Enchanted Forest Path and other areas in the northernmost portion of Riverside Park in order to make it a more integral and beneficial part of the neighborhood. (The neighborhood includes the area from Broadway west to the Hudson River between 145th and 155th Streets.) West Harlem Art Fund, a
neighborhood-based non-profit organization, obtained a planning grant from the Department of State for“Take Me to the River” planning.

Parks & Trails New York staff worked with the Harlem Arts Fund to develop a proposal to engage neighborhood school groups on the project through field and classroom-based educational programs and will be implementing program activities in spring 2006. Staff also worked to help the Harlem Arts Fund broaden local constituency for its initiative by meeting with NYS Department of Health regional staff to identify potential neighborhood health and activity promotion groups and resources that could be involved in the initiative.

Chenango Greenway – Shared use path along the banks of the Chenango River in Chenango County
Update: September 2005 – Norwich Trail Committee - A Model Of Diverse Backgrounds. Click here to read this article.
The Chenango Greenway is envisioned as a shared use path along the Chenango River that will link community activity areas and the downtown, as well as serve as a resource for healthy recreation and bike/ped transportation in the community. An active committee with representation from many important stakeholder groups meets regularly. Key parcels needed to make the greenway a reality are already in public or quasi-public ownership. The City of Norwich has an established partnership with the local Healthy Heart Program, which is funding a series of historic interpretive signs along the former route of the Chenango Canal through the downtown area. (The Chenango Canal linked the Erie Canal to the Susquehanna River in the mid 1800's.)

The trail committee decided to rename their group the Chenango Greenway Committee, reflecting their hope that their city-based trail along the Chenango River can eventually become part of a larger regional trail and open space corridor. They have also rounded out their trail committee membership, which now includes the following: a community physician, a city parks commission liaison, a Chenango Land Trust representative, two local developers who seek to link their project to the corridor, an environmental
lawyer, representatives of the local youth conservation corps, a liaison to a Christian community service organization, and several other citizen advocates. While working to build municipal and general community awareness and support for the project, the committee has investigated liability and insurance issues and started the process of identifying and reaching out to landowners along a key segment of the proposed route.

The Greenway Committee recently drafted a 'plan' for their riverside trail corridor. Rather than the detailed technical analysis normally associated with the word 'plan', this is an overview of the Committee's initial findings about the trail's physical potential and options for its development. The brief document includes a summary of trail benefits, route maps, funding ideas, and options for addressing issues that are common to all trails as well as specific to this corridor. The intended audience for the 'concept plan' is primarily landowners on whose property the trail will hopefully be located, key local leaders, potential partner groups, and prospective new committee members.

Parks & Trails New York staff have attended committee meetings and provided input and feedback on the trail plan, fiscal sponsor options, landowner contact, and outreach to key stakeholders.

Little Ausable River Trail – 3.5-mile trail in Clinton County
Update: November 2006 – The Town of Peru was recently awarded $524,745 from the Transportation Enhancement Program (TEP) for the development of a bicycle and pedestrian trail along the Little Ausable River. Click here for more details.
Update: May 2006 – Pulaski begins trek towards Healthy Trails, Healthy Community. Click here for more details.
Update: January 2006– Peru community turns out for trails workshop and walk. Click here for more details.
Update: September 2005 – Peru Comprehensive Plan Process Bolsters Trail. Click here for more details.
Residents of the Town of Peru plan to develop a 3.5-mile trail using former rail bed and the scenic banks of the Ausable River. The trail will link Peru’s three existing parks, the village center, the central school, and an historic mill site.

Peru’s trail committee has built the foundation of an action plan for their trail corridor with several months of work on the Town’s Comprehensive Plan. A significant step in their progress has been the confirmation of general interest in and support of a key segment of the larger trail project by all the landowners whose properties would be crossed by the proposed route.

The committee will work in the next few months to have these landowners sign a revocable agreement with the town. Parks & Trails New York will assist the community in drafting the template agreement language. Though only a temporary and non-binding contract, the revocable agreement helps demonstrate the clear interest of landowners to allow public trail access. This will help the town compete for grants. Having the agreement in place will also make it easier for volunteers or municipal employees to begin initial trail work and open the route for basic public access while a more formal long-term agreement is formulated.

Parks & Trails New York staff worked with the trail friends group to plan a community trails workshop that was held on November 19, 2005. The meeting was very well attended for a community of Peru's size, with over 45 participants. Following the meeting, about 30 individuals took a walking tour of the first proposed segment of the trail corridor. In addition to providing valuable publicity for the trail concept, the meeting generated a list of 24 potential new members of the Friends of the Little Ausable River Trail who could help expand the friends group's trail advocacy and stewardship capabilities and
increase momentum for the project.

Parks & Trails New York has prepared a Next Steps Report based on meeting with the trails committee and input received at the community workshop and walk.

Long Island Motor Parkway Trail – 15-mile cross county trail in Nassau County
Update: May 2006 – Long Island Motor Parkway Trail Progresses on Several Fronts. Click here for more details.
For several years, Parks & Trails New York has been interested in assisting Nassau citizens with trail development along portions of the former Long Island Motor Parkway, an historic corridor that served as a former private motorway until 1938. Parks & Trails New York staff reviewed a route for the approximately 15-mile corridor in a site visit in May 2004 and concluded that many sections of the former parkway, now owned by Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) and MTA ROW, as well as other LIPA/MTA corridor and existing public-owned property have great potential for developing a multi-use, cross county trail that could be used to link neighborhoods, schools, and parks including Eisenhower County Park and Bethpage State Park. It was also clear that an on-road or on-sidewalk route was needed to detour around places where no remaining open space exists.

At the time of the visit, Parks & Trails New York also met with members of the Long Island Greenbelt Trail Conference and Long Island Motor Parkway Panel, administrators at Old Bethpage Village Restoration, and a representative of LIPA.

In February 2005, Parks & Trails New York responded to Nassau County’s proposal to sell a portion of the former Long Island Motor Parkway within the Town of North Hempstead by sending a letter of objection to the Nassau County Planning Commission, stating “Just when interest in developing the former Long Island Motor Parkway as a community trail is beginning to grow, it would be shortsighted for Nassau County to sell this property and transfer it out of public ownership, eliminating forever any potential for its future development as a resource that could benefit the citizens of North Hempstead and all of Nassau County for generations.”

In April 2005, Parks & Trails New York nominated the Long Island Motor Parkway Trail for consideration for parkland improvement and open space acquisition using Nassau County Environmental Bond Act funding. (The Nassau County planning department and members of the Long Island Motor Parkway Panel also nominated this corridor. Nassau County will announce their decisions in December.) Parks & Trails New York considers this to be a critical project for Nassau County because it would provide a cross-county, off-road, multi-use recreational trail from the Queens to Suffolk County lines that would link residential neighborhoods, parks, commercial areas, and schools as well as create a place, close to home, where thousands of persons, irrespective of age, income, or fitness levels, could engage in healthy physical activities such as walking, biking, and jogging.

Parks & Trails New York continues to correspond with project proponents and communicate with others who may help to generate support from one of the key landowners, Long Island Power Authority (LIPA). A recent in-depth article in Newsday provided important visibility for the trail proposal and included positive comments from opinion leaders, including the Nassau County Executive, the LIPA CEO, and the head of the Nassau County Planning Department. Parks & Trails New York helped others lobby for the Long Island DOT to continue to include the Suffolk County portion of this corridor in the top ten projects of the Long Island Non Motorized Transportation Study. While this did not happen, DOT nevertheless agreed to complete a feasibility study for the Suffolk County portion that will address some of the same issues related to use of the LIPA corridor that are also stalling the project in Nassau County.

A group of interested residents, led by the project’s major citizen proponent, has recently formed a Long Island Motor Parkway Trail Committee and mapped out a strategy for continuing to keep the project in front of the public. At a clean up at the Edgewood- Oak Brush Plains preserve, about 50 volunteers including Senator Owen Johnson, local residents, members of the Motor Parkway Panel, Concerned Long Island Mountain Bikers (CLIMB) and others took part. CLIMB has become involved because the Long Island Motor Parkway Trail could provide nonmotorized access to existing mountain bike trails in Bethpage State Park and the Edgewood Preserve. Parks & Trails New York has also signed on to the Nature Conservancy’s Vision for Long Island, which advocates for protection of open space and preservation and stewardship of existing parks, especially in Nassau County.

North Buffalo-Tonawanda Rail Trail – 7-mile rail trail in Erie County
In 2001, the City of Buffalo and Erie County received federal Congestion Mitigation Air Quality (CMAQ) funding to construct a nine-mile greenway on a former Lehigh Valley rail line connecting North Buffalo, the City and Town of Tonawanda, and the Erie Canalway Trail. If developed as a trail, the corridor would intersect nine Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) bus routes and a light rail metro station as well as provide safe access to multiple city, county and town parks, the Amherst bicycle path, Erie Canalway Trail, and Buffalo’s Riverwalk.

Parks & Trails New York and partner Be Active New York State presented a community trails workshop at the North Buffalo Community Center on June 23, 2004, in conjunction with the North Buffalo Good Neighbors Planning Alliance, North Buffalo Community Association, and Transportation Options of Buffalo. The workshop gave 35 neighborhood residents an opportunity to share their ideas and concerns about how the presently overgrown former Lehigh Valley rail bed within North Buffalo could be developed as a multi-use trail. The corridor is located close to many residences, schools, parks, and neighborhood businesses, and thus can provide residents with an opportunity for walking or biking as part of their daily activities. Some persons were enthusiastic supporters; others were opposed or skeptical. A summary of workshop comments and workshop evaluations, along with a database of workshop attendees, was supplied to the City of Buffalo planning department for inclusion in their website.

Subsequently, progress on the North Buffalo-Tonawanda Rail Trail in Erie County has slowed. Further complicating the project, the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA), owner of the proposed trail corridor, sold portions of the corridor in North Buffalo to private interests. NFTA retained a 30- foot easement for the trail and future light rail.

Trail advocates are concerned with how the sale will affect the city’s ability to construct the trail and what the eventual design and surrounding environment of the trail will be like. The easement does not include the former rail bed, which means the trail will need to be moved to a new location much closer to adjacent homes. Trail developers also cannot take advantage of the ideal foundation afforded by the former rail bed, which could significantly impact the cost of construction.

Parks & Trails New York communicates regularly with Buffalo-based partner Be Active New York State, the consultant for the 2.5-mile North Buffalo section, and the Erie County DPW, project managers for the 5-mile Tonawanda section. The North Buffalo consultant is planning to convene a citizen advisory committee and has had meetings with neighborhood leaders. It is anticipated that a public meeting will be held soon in North Buffalo to gather public input before the consultant begins the project design.

Salisbury-Dolgeville Greenway – 2.8-mile rail trail in Herkimer County
The Salisbury-Dolgeville Greenway would connect the Village of Dolgeville and hamlet of Salisbury Center using the former New York Central Railroad corridor, much of which is now owned by the Town of Salisbury and Village of Dolgeville. The corridor is divided into two sections: a 1.6-mile Village of Dolgeville section and a 1.2-mile Town of Salisbury section. The two sections are separated by an area where the integrity of the rail bed is compromised and in private ownership.

Parks & Trails New York and partner Be Active New York State presented a community trails workshop on April 7, 2004 in Dolgeville, sponsored by East Canada Valley Vision, Inc. (ECVV), a local not for profit. Forty people attended.

After the workshop, Parks & Trails New York prepared a comprehensive report, Salisbury-Dolgeville Greenway: Suggestions for Next Steps, June 2004, based on the input from the meeting, field observations, and meetings with community leaders. One element of the report was a survey of managers of other national and Canadian trails regarding their experience with permitting ATV use. Copies of the report were distributed to the President of East Canada Valley Vision, Supervisor of the town of Salisbury, and Mayor of the Village of Dolgeville.

In August 2004, Parks & Trails New York met with members of East Canada Valley Vision (ECVV) and Dolgeville Mayor Bruce Lyon to discuss the report and offer recommendations on specific activities to build visibility for the trail and publicize its availability for uses in addition to snowmobiling.

The community subsequently received another study, The Salisbury-Dolgeville Greenway Reconnaissance Study: Considerations for Development of a Multi-Use Recreation Trail, prepared by landscape architect Dudley Breed that identifies opportunities and constraints for development of the greenway trail.

In August 2005, Parks & Trails New York met with representatives of the Village of Dolgeville, Town of Salisbury, and Ridge Runners snowmobile club, as well as an interested citizen to walk the former rail bed and assess its condition. Everyone agreed that they would like to apply for transportation enhancements funding to address drainage issues and trail erosion. Parks & Trails New York followed up with advice and contacts that can help the municipalities prepare a funding application.

Delhi River Walk – Village trail along the Delaware River in Delaware County
The Delhi River Walk would be located along the banks of the West Branch of the Delaware River and would link many existing and planned community resources including a new community swimming pool, canoe launch sites, a handicapped accessible fishing platform, River Walk Park, a community picnic pavilion, Clark Park basketball court, Bridgeside Park, Smith Pond Park, and O’Connor Hospital. Parks & Trails New York met with Village of Delhi Mayor David Truscott in March and August 2004 to walk the proposed location of the River Walk and view existing and planned community projects that will complement the proposed trail.

On September 22, 2004, Parks & Trails New York and partner Be Active New York State presented a community trails workshop in the Delhi Village Hall. Thirty residents attended the workshop that was co-sponsored by the O'Connor Hospital, the Delhi Community Activities Committee, the Delhi Beautification Committee, SUNY Delhi AmeriCorps, and Delhi Mayor David Truscott. Prior to the workshop, thirty persons participated in a walk along part of the proposed route for the River Walk Trail. The workshop and walk participants were generally supportive of the trail project.

In April 2005, Parks & Trails New York presented its “Delhi River Walk Suggestions for Next Steps” report to Village Mayor David Truscott. The report, which is based on Parks & Trails New York’s visits to the project and input from the community at the September workshop, contains maps outlining a phased approach to trail development, therefore, a 'rough' trail could be built quickly to establish some level of use, then eventually upgraded to make the trail more accessible and inviting to a wider portion of village residents. The report also includes multiple suggestions for activities that the community could undertake to build support for development of the River Walk and identifies a key issue as liability coverage for private landowners who agree to allow a trail on their riverfront property.

D&H Rail Trail – 9-mile rail trail in Albany County
In January 2005, Governor Pataki announced an award of $350,000 in Land and Water Conservation Funds for Albany County to acquire a nine-mile section of the abandoned rail line running from the Port of Albany through Delmar and Slingerlands to Voorheesville.