Normally, we wouldn’t advocate laying an asphalt strip through the woods to allow greater access to nature. But when it comes to the Helderberg Hudson Rail Trail — a route designed to be paved — the sooner the paving project can be completed, the better.
Currently, Albany County is anticipating having the entire trail — from South Pearl Street in Albany to Grove Street in Voorheesville — paved by 2016. Voorheesville Mayor Robert Conway said he thought that the timetable was “a little optimistic,” but we think it can be done, as long as the project gets the financial backing it needs.
Having a paved Rail Trail would create a safer way for people to commute between the city and the suburbs. Bicyclists on the trail could ride into and out of Albany without battling cars, trucks and buses. All they would have to watch out for are the pedestrians also using the trail. That’s far less stressful or dangerous for bicyclists than having a large truck coming up from behind them, and it might even encourage your weekend cyclists to see their bikes as a viable means to get to and from work.
If you need proof of how valuable a paved trail is to bicyclists, visit the Mohawk-Hudson Bike-Hike Path and watch how many people are out riding or walking along it. There is a reason why it’s one of our region’s most popular trails. It’s safe to use, and it can be maintained even in winter.
And let’s face it, the Rail Trail would be easy to pave. The railroad line that used to be there may have been taken up, but the strip of hard-packed, crushed rocks that provided the base for the line is still there. That strip gives crews the base they need to pour the asphalt for the path. As unnatural as it may seem to place pavement through the woods, the Rail Trail is perfectly designed for this project.
Certainly, the Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy feels that way. They’ve always advocated paving the Rail Trail, and they’ve made certain county officials keep that idea in their heads as they have proceeded with the various stages of creating it. We know bringing the trail to paved completion involves a significant financial commitment, with overcoming deteriorating bridges one of the biggest expenses, but we don’t understand why it has taken so long to find the funding. So far, the lion’s share has been paid for with grants, but in a state where incomprehensible sums of taxpayers’ dollars are thrown at projects that have little public benefit, we are baffled as to why the Rail Trail has had to play a game of catch as you can to find the money needed to move it along.
At least the county has a plan to make it happen. To pave the Rail Trail section from Bethlehem to Voorheesville, the county is expecting to receive a $1 million grant from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. We would hope NYSERDA gives the county the money it needs for the paving project, but there are no guarantees.
Of course, that plan could be pushed further back if funding can’t be acquired. Voorheesville found out the hard way when its application for a federal Transportation Alternatives Program grant was denied. The money would have gone toward a small extension of the trail to Grove Street and building some additional amenities at the trailhead, including a museum. Like the county, Voorheesville isn’t abandoning its goal to create something special at the Rail Trail. They are continuing to pursue building a museum, and the village is moving forward on the trail extension and establishing a parking lot.
Let’s hope the talk of paving the Rail Trail pans out. It will have been a long journey, but one worth it in the end.