NYSDEC Takes Over Rail Trail Corridor Management
It’s official: the state Department of Environmental Conservation has taken over management of the 34-mile rail corridor between Lake Placid and Tupper Lake--an important step in the conversion of the corridor into a multi-use recreational trail.
The corridor had been under the control of the state Department of Transportation, which removed the tracks last year. On Friday, the state Office of General Services announced that jurisdiction over the corridor has been transferred to DEC.
“We thank our colleagues at the Department of Transportation for their efforts over the past year to remove existing rail-tie infrastructure and set the stage for the next phase of work. DEC looks forward to working with our partners at the Office of General Services to design, build, and maintain this new and accessible recreational resource for residents and visitors alike,” DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said in a news release.
The department plans to build the Adirondack Rail Trail, as it’s called, in three stages. DEC will start work this year on the section of trail between the villages of Lake Placid and Saranac Lake. It hopes to finish this section in September 2023, but the completion date will depend on contract approvals, wetland permits, and other factors. The full trail is expected to be done in 2025.
After the removal of the tracks, the corridor saw an increase in use by snowmobilers, cross-country skiers, hikers, and bikers. In an earlier column, I wrote about riding a fat bike 16 miles from Floodwood Road to Saranac Lake.
DEC says it will allow recreational use to continue during the construction phase, though sections of the corridor may be temporarily closed for safety reasons. Only hiking and biking (including class 1 e-bikes) will be allowed in the non-winter months. In winter, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, fat-tire biking, and snowshoeing will be permitted.
At the moment, most of the corridor consists of the original gravel rail bed, making for a bumpy bike ride. The finished rail trail will be surfaced with packed stone dust, which should accommodate many road bikes, mountain bikes, and gravel bikes.
After each section is completed, it will be open to the public. After all three sections are completed, the state will construct amenities such as interpretive signs, privies, benches, and bike racks.
“It’s exciting to see the rail trail move forward,” said Josh Wilson, executive director of the Barkeater Trails Alliance. “It will provide a way for people to access existing and future bike trails."
BETA will work with DEC to link single-track trails to the rail corridor. Both the Fowler’s Crossing trails in Saranac Lake and multi-use trails near the Fish Creek State Campground, for example, lie near the corridor. And DEC has approved a plan to build a long-distance bike trail around Scarface Mountain, which rises just south of the corridor between Saranac Lake and Lake Placid.
OGS is heading the design of the trail. “The development of a world-class Adirondack Rail Trail will greatly enhance the public’s ability to enjoy and explore one of our state’s most valuable and beautiful natural resources,” OGS Commissioner Jeanette Moy said in the news release.
More information on the rail trail can be found on DEC’s website: https://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/124911.html
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