#AlbanyCountyHelderbergHudsonRailTrail #Completion #AliHibbs #SpotlightNews
VOORHEESVILLE — Construction will begin on the final leg of the Albany County Helderberg-Hudson Rail Trail on Friday, June 22, connecting the Port of Albany to Voorheesville on a nine mile paved recreational path used by pedestrians and cyclists.
The last 3.7-mile stretch of path extends from Grove Street in Voorheesville to just west of the Route 85 overpass in Slingerlands. The section from Hilton Road in Slingerlands to Grove Street was completed last summer.
“The Albany County Helderberg-Hudson Rail Trail has been a labor of love of mine for some time,” said McCoy. “Each year it becomes more popular, with over 200,000 visitors in 2017 alone, which means more people exploring the county and getting great exercise, higher property values along the trail and less cars clogging our streets and polluting our air.”
The work will include paving, grade crossing improvements and installation of wooden pedestrian railings. A Cleaner, Greener Communities grant from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and Albany County provided the funding. Future amenities will be added to the handicapped accessible Rail Trail for visitors and to support local businesses.
The rail trail corridor, which winds through Albany, Delmar, Slingerlands and into Voorheesville, was originally purchased in 2009 at no cost to county taxpayers thanks to a grant from the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation that was matched by Scenic Hudson.
While under construction, the trail will be closed to the public during working hours, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. If conditions allow, the trail may be opened during non-working hours but residents should take caution and watch for changing conditions.
