Fjord Trail to "Prioritize" Northern Section

Southern section to Cold Spring delayed at least two years
Don't expect the Fjord Trail to reach Cold Spring any time soon.
In addition to announcing a $450,000 grant to Cold Spring and Philipstown for the building of sidewalks on Fair Street, Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail Inc. (HHFT) said on Monday (Feb. 9) that it will "prioritize" the northern section of the trail from Breakneck Ridge to Long Dock Park in Beacon.

The state's recently released environmental impact statement included a timeline stating that construction on both the northern and southern sections (Breakneck to Cold Spring) would begin this year.
But HHFT Executive Director Amy Kacala and President Peter Mullan said on Tuesday that construction will begin on the northern section in 2027, and work on the southern portion will be pushed back at least two years.
They said a major factor in the delay is that HHFT and the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) will be gathering more data on the stretch of the Hudson River where a concrete boardwalk would be built. Despite overall improvements in the river's health since the 1970s, many fish species have been on the decline. The DEC and the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are also in the midst of a years-long project to determine the extent of PCB contamination in the lower Hudson River caused by industrial dumping by General Electric.

In its public comment on the impact statement, the environmental group Riverkeeper raised concerns that the endangered shortnose and Atlantic sturgeon species would be harmed by construction in the stretch of river that runs through the Highlands.
"We're committed to being sensitive to the ecology of the river," said Mullan. "We want to use this time to make sure that we are developing the design as sensitively as possible and look for ways to repair the ecology of the shallow water river habitat, because we're seeing the ecosystem function of that habitat actually going down."
Kacala said that the data collection will take at least two years. "We want to do this right, and sometimes that takes time," she said.
In the meantime, HHFT will push forward with the northern section, much to the delight of Beacon Mayor Lee Kyriacou, who has long advocated for the project.

"I'm very excited about this, and I think that most people in Beacon are, too," he said on Tuesday.
Kacala said that construction along the northern part of the trail would begin with construction on state-owned land. "There are still some conversations we need to have with private landowners," she said. The first phase will include an overlook of Bannerman's Island just north of the Breakneck Connector bridge. A parking lot is already under construction.
Many residents who live near Breakneck have had problems with hikers trespassing into their yards to get a better view of the ruined castle in the river. "We're hoping to help them out by alleviating that pressure and putting that part forward first," said Kacala. "Then people have a safe and predictable way where they know they can get to that view."
Beacon Rail Trail Update
While the Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail is being constructed, Mayor Lee Kyriacou said Beacon will be pushing forward with the Beacon Rail Trail, part of a separate project that would connect the train station to Hopewell Junction along an abandoned rail line.
"The pricing for the whole line is fairly expensive, but the Beacon section is fairly doable and doable quickly," he said on Tuesday (Feb. 9), referring to the section that would begin at the train station and stop at the city line near Route 52. "We're hoping to get bids done this year and construction next year."
The Beacon Rail Trail, which will be paved and mostly flat, will give residents who commute a safe way to reach the train station without a car, said Kyriacou, noting that the city plans on installing more bike lockers.
The trail would cross the Fjord Trail near Dennings Point, connecting the trails. "Thi...