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Hudson River Greenway Conservancy's Route 9D Feasibility Study Shows Possibility for Improved Access and Safety
Plans for recreational path between Little Stony Point and Breakneck Ridge could alleviate many problems with popular route
by Mike Turton
Take a drive from Little Stony Point Park north for about two miles along 9D this time of year and you'll be hard pressed to deny the incredible popularity that corridor enjoys with hikers, bicyclists and those who simply love the beauty of the fall season. In fact, Trail Magazine has referred to Breakneck Ridge as the most popular day-hike in the US. Unfortunately, there is also a darker side to this recreation Mecca. The shoulder of 9D is marked by a number of informal crosses erected in remembrance of people killed in accidents along that section of the road. A recently completed study may offer solutions which could provide better and safer access to what is one of the most scenic sections of the Hudson River. But as always - there is a price.
The Hudson Fjord Hike/Bike Trail Capital Improvements Feasibility Study was discussed in detail at a Town of Philipstown Workshop on Wednesday, October 24, 2007. The study was completed by Folchetti and Associates of Somers, New York, funded by a grant from the Hudson River Greenway Conservancy. Several members of the Philipstown Greenway Committee attended the meeting, including Committee Chair Michael McKee.
The study calls for a multi-use recreational path system to provide safe access and connections to six trail heads from Little Stony Point to Breakneck Ridge; enlarged and improved parking at either end of the corridor; a safe access point to the Hudson River and improved views of the Hudson River along the entire two-mile section of 9D.
Two alternative designs are presented in the study. One calls for a minimum ten-foot wide shared-use path which would follow the east shoulder of 9D for the first mile north then switch the west shoulder for the second mile leading to Breakneck Station footbridge. The path would also run through Breakneck tunnel. The second option calls for widening both asphalt shoulders to the standard five-foot width for bicycles along the entire corridor while creating a separate three-foot wide pedestrian-only path on the east side of 9D between the Washburn trailhead and the Brook trailhead then switching to the west side of the road from the Brook trailhead to the Breakneck Station footbridge. Cost of the first alternative is estimated at 2.8 million dollars with the dual-trail alternative coming in at approximately 3.3 million dollars. Both alternatives would include improved parking as well signage, road striping and traffic calming measures aimed at improving safety along the corridor.
One of the major hurdles that must be overcome if the project is to be carried out is gaining the cooperation of the New York State Department of Transportation which owns Highway 9D. As John Folchetti who led the feasibility study put it, "Whether DOT will buy any of this I don't know." Philipstown Town Board member Richard Shea commented that tragedies have been all too common along 9D, indicating that "Someone gets killed there every year." He went on to ask, "Who is responsible in Albany when someone else gets killed there?"
A number of funding options for the project were discussed including government grants; member items initiated in the State legislature and bonding by the Town of Philipstown. The Town and the Greenway Committee will now reach out to senior state and federal elected officials to inquire regarding possible funding. Leadership of the project must also be determined before detailed designs, funding and project oversight can be addressed. The Philipstown Greenway Committee and the Town of Philipstown were mentioned as possible project leaders. Adding to the complexity of the project is that part of the northernmost section of the proposed recreation corridor lies within the jurisdiction of the Town of Fishkill.
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